Work Of Art
by vauseisgoddess
Summary: Alex Vause is the CEO of the biggest, most successful art trading company in the states. A new fast growing company is threatening to destroy their reputation as number one. Will Alex be able to eliminate the threat or will she give in to the temptation that is her rival CEO? Vauseman AU/OOC
1. You hate her, Piper

**A/N: Hey everyone! This is my first serious attempt at writing a Vauseman fic. This is a collab effort between me and my bff so we hope you enjoy the first installment of this fic :) (Ofc we don't own any of the characters)**

I was sat in my large leather revolving chair, a content expression on my face. _Time really does fly by_ , I thought to myself as a shifted my weight to turn the chair and face my computer. The time now was 14:31pm which meant that the monthly figures should have been emailed to me. Typing in my email address and password, I felt clenching and twisting in my stomach as the cursor hovered over the first item in my inbox. I could feel my palm sweating over the mouse, making my hand uncomfortable and hot. Unable to bear the suspense any longer, I pushed down on the left button and revealed the sprawling text that contained the information that would decide our actions over the next month. My expression hardened as I made my way down the email, but began to soften as the news I had been longing for reached my eyes.

We were doing well. Our clients were extremely happy with what we had been supplying them and profits had inflated. There was very little required in terms of improvement to our tactics. I let out a sigh of relief and let my weight lean back into the chair, my hands resting on the arms either side of me. This was everything I could have possibly have wanted from this company. It had brought me riches, success and nothing but respect from my fellow associates. I had never felt as content and pleased about a job as much as I did now.

After allowing my heart rate to return to a normal and steady beat, I stood up from my chair and straightened my business jacket. I turned my back to my computer and made my way over to the large wall of glass at the rear of my office. The room was large with various paintings on the walls, mahogany cabinets full of expensive ornaments and large, vivid green plants. I had always felt extremely serene in this room, despite it being my place of work. However magnificent and well decorated the office was, it had nothing on the breath-taking view that was visible from the window at the back. You could see the majority of the city from it and it never failed to amaze and astound me.

As I gazed out at the skyline, my thoughts drifted to how others had reacted to my somewhat unexpected success. My mother had always considered me average and often put down my ambitions as a child. I had always been told that no one in our family had been particularly successful so there was very little chance of me ever doing anything particularly special or worth mentioning to anyone at all. Establishing my own business had been a hard and painful process but nevertheless, I had managed to make Chapman Inc. a fruitful and extremely profitable business. The look on my mother's face when I had first explained my intentions and then when I told her about the success and money that I had gained had been absolutely priceless. That expression was imprinted in my brain.

Then there was my best friend, Polly Harper. Unlike my mother, she had been supportive of me since I had revealed my crazy and farfetched plan to her. Polly herself ran a small, independent artisan soap shop which I had done my best to promote to some of my colleagues. There was very little that Polly and I didn't share with each other and I couldn't wait to tell her the good news I'd received today.

I brought myself back from the daze I'd gone into while staring at the grey clouds that loomed into the horizon and sat back down in my desk chair. Feeling content and positive about the other emails that awaited me in my inbox, I began to skim over them. Nothing caught my interest in particular, just updates on finances in different departments and updates on employees. I was almost finished, before my eye was drawn to one email. At first I thought I'd read it wrong, but after doing a double take I realised that this was not the case.

One of my most trusted assistants, Lorna Morello, had sent me a lengthy message about a company similar to ours that was apparently not too happy with us making our way into the art business.

This worried me slightly, as other companies could do various things to slow down or even completely prevent us from staying in a particular business. _I need a meeting with Morello right fucking now,_ I thought. Situations like this could get serious. I needed to stay calm and collected about this as if I showed any panic or worry about this, it could cause chaos in the company. The response I typed out to Lorna was clear and short, just as I liked to keep my answers to people. The day was coming to an end, so I decided to organise the meeting for tomorrow.

After clicking the send button, I thought about seeing Polly and checking that she had actually remembered to feed my beloved chocolate Labrador, Julio. I picked the phone up off my desk and dialled her number, tapping my fingers on the edge of my desk as I waited for her voice to greet me.

"Hello, you've reached Polly Harper. How can I help?" Her voice was authoritative and formal and I was always surprised to hear her speak in that kind of tone.

"Hey Polly, it's Piper. Please tell me you remembered to feed Julio this afternoon." I chuckled slightly, knowing that it always irritated her when I asked her. She had only forgotten once in the last 5 years that I had employed her to do it but I never let her forget it.

She let out a sigh that had an obvious hint of humour with it. "No babe, I left your dog to starve in your house. Of course I did."

I laughed and used my other hand to log out of my email account and shut down my computer. "I'm getting out of here in about 10 minutes. Coffee?"

"Sounds good. I've got a great story for you – you'd be surprised at how eventful running an independent store can be you know."

I put the phone down after we decided where to meet and began to gather my things together. Swinging my brown leather satchel over my shoulder, I made my way out of the door to my office and locked it behind me. There were still people typing away on computers, occasionally perking their head up to say, "Have a nice even, ma'am." I nodded and smiled at them in response as I passed by, heading towards the elevator at the end of the room.

The entirety of the Chapman Inc. building was modern and sleek. Everyone who worked here was dressed formally and their manners were impeccable. I'd always been sure to only hire the best of the best.

I stepped into the elevator and pushed the button to take me to the ground floor. My office was all the way up on the 21st so I had a few minutes to stare into space while I waited for the elevator to reach the bottom. The doors opened and I stepped out, nodding politely towards the receptionist at the main desk in front of the entrance doors, made entirely of glass.

I was met by a crisp, winter breeze as I got out into the car park. It was November and the chill that blew through my shoulder length blonde hair warned me of the snow and ice that would grip New York when it made its way here. The trees that surrounded the building were bare and looked sinister in the grey shadow caused by the overcast sky. Everything seemed still and fragile, as if the slightest upset could shatter the world.

My sleek white BMW was waiting for me in the CEO parking spot, right next to the door to the building. I placed my bag onto the seat next to me and pulled out my mirror. My blue eyes looked darker in the dim light of the car. After applying some more lipstick, I pulled out of the car park and made my way over to the coffee shop where Polly was already waiting for me. Luckily, my working hours meant that I avoided rush hour.

"Piper, babe, you look like crap." Polly joked, pulling me into an affectionate embrace.

"You don't look too good yourself." I chuckled, taking a seat opposite her, "So, what's this story you have for me?"

I listened to Polly explain about some kind of weird customer who had bought a crap load of soap. I tried to pay as much attention as I could, but I couldn't help but let my mind wander towards the meeting I would be having with Lorna tomorrow. Nerves filled my stomach and made my heart flutter.

"So that's me done. What about you? How's the company?" she asked, taking a sip of her earl grey tea.

I straightened up in my seat, a smile spreading across my face. "Well, actually things are going extremely well. Profits are soaring and clients are satisfied." My expression hardened, "Although, apparently another company isn't pleased about us deciding to make our way into the art business. I have a meeting with my assistant tomorrow about it."

"That sounds irritating. Any idea who it is?" Polly inquired.

"Not yet," I replied, running my hand through my hair, "but Lorna should know by tomorrow."

"Well, I know you well enough to know you'll have this covered before it becomes serious."

Polly and I went way back to university, where we were both on the same business course. She had shown me her passion for soap making whereas I had been unsure of what to do with my degree. The last thing I had expected was an import/export establishment.

We finished our drinks and parted ways. I was longing to get back to my sizeable detached house and unwind with some mindless TV with my dog. The relief I felt as I pulled into my driveway was exasperating.

Entering the front door to my house brought me intense feelings of relaxation and, almost immediately, exhaustion. A short hallway was in front of me, leading to my modern open-plan kitchen and living room. On the left of the hallway was a staircase that led up to the second floor of my house where multiple bedrooms and ensuites were located.

I hung my jacket and satchel on the coat hangers to my right and collapsed on my pale grey sofa. In front of me was a large flatscreen TV on the wall and an electric fireplace beneath it. It had been a long day with both good and bad news. I knew that tomorrow would exhaust me even more and that thought made my heart sink. _It's all worth it Piper,_ I thought to myself. Without all my effort, this would all be for nothing. I needed to stay motivated and focused to make this work.

This rival company wouldn't be a problem. I had pride in my negotiating skills and knew that they would not fail me in a situation such as this one. I was sure I would be able to make some kind of arrangement that would please both of us and ensure that neither one of us had to lose out, however I would make sure that whatever deal we came to would be much for profitable for me in the end.

Julio was curled up on the rug in front of my electric fireplace. I held out my hand to him which he responded to by standing up, stretching and allowing me to pet his head. I spent my night watching trash TV and eventually passing out in my king sized bed upstairs. The warm, white sheets were deliciously inviting and put me to sleep within a matter of minutes.

The next morning, my unconsciousness was interrupted by my alarm. Groaning and glaring at the time shown on the digital screen, I reached over and turned it off. _Today's going to be interesting,_ I thought to myself, _Let's see what this other company has to offer._

I was early to the office. It was 8:30am and Lorna had agreed to be in my office 9am sharp. She wouldn't be late.

After the long ride to the 21st floor and some brief greetings to the employees who had already arrived, I made my way into my office. I pulled files full of statistics and other documents onto the table and sat down in my chair, leaving my bag next to my desk.

Reading my emails was one of my least favourite jobs to do, but it would keep me occupied for the next few minutes while I waited for my assistant.

Eventually, there was a knock on my door. I straightened up in my seat and ensured my hair was evenly placed on my shoulders. "Come in." I called out, maintaining a professional and somewhat emotionless tone.

The door opened and in stepped a short, petite woman. She had wavy hair that she had styled out of her face and wore bright red lipstick that was more or less against company policy, but I let her off. She had been good to me for the past few years she had worked with me.

"Good morning, ma'am." She smiled politely and made her way over to the seat in front of my desk. She had a few papers with her, which could only mean that this other company was getting seriously involved in what we were doing.

"Hello Lorna," I returned her smile and moved my laptop aside, my hands clasped together on my desk, "What do you have for me?"

Her smile faded. "This company really aren't happy with us, Piper." I had given her permission to use my first name, a privilege I only gave to employees I deemed worthy. "They want us out of the art business right now."

I thought about this before responding. "No. We're not missing out on an opportunity as promising as this because of one business saying it's not acceptable to them."

Anxiety flickered in her eyes. "They're called A.V. International, their CEO is called Alex Vause and they've been in this area much longer than we have. They have more contacts, more experience and more money."

"So we'll get more contacts, experience and money. I won't let them hinder us with pathetic threats. What are those papers you have there?"

Lorna glanced down at the wad of sheets she had. "Some of the emails they've sent us. Mostly just telling us to back off." She held them out to me.

I scanned over them, feeling my eyebrows furrow with each word. _Bullshit, bullshit, bullshit._ They were all written in a sophisticated and business-like way, but sounded almost sarcastic. Whoever this Alex Vause was, he had it coming to him.

"There's very little we can do at the moment." I said to Lorna, putting the papers on top of my already giant pillar of documents, "We'll deal with them if they become an issue."

"This may seem like a silly question, but do you think they will?" She asked.

I thought about this. If they went to the trouble of sending us these problematic messages, then I was absolutely sure they would become more involved in what we were doing here at Chapman Inc. However, the immaturity of them told me that they were naïve and thought far too highly of themselves, two extremely dangerous mind-sets to have in this area of work.

"Perhaps, only time will tell. Thank you for bringing this to my attention Lorna. Let me know if anything else comes through from them."

She smiled at me once again, stood up from her chair and left the room. Once she was gone, I had another look at the emails we had been sent. I chuckled to myself as I read one that tickled me in particular:

 _We'd appreciate it if you would stay out of our "territory", if you will. If you continue to persist, there will be consequences that will prove costly for you._

It was quite amusing to think of what this company could possibly do to be so troubling for us, but I could only indulge myself for so long. My thoughts drifted towards their CEO. Alex Vause. He had pretty much signed himself up to be my new rival. His strategies so far had put any worries or apprehensions I had about this situation to ease as I found his attempts at intimidation humourous.

 _He's going to be proven very wrong if he thinks a bunch of threatening emails are going to put me off,_ I thought. I was an extremely practical and down to earth person. I had learnt independence from my distant mother and cheating scum of a father. Boyfriends were out of the question at this point in my life; there was no time or energy spare in my busy schedule for things like that. If the right person came along who was willing to accept the fact that my company was my life, then maybe I would consider them, otherwise it was hopeless.

I felt my stomach perform somersaults as I imagined the future predicaments that I would find myself in thanks to A.V. International and the satisfaction I would experience as and when I overcame them. Alex Vause would regret trying to come between me and what I wanted for my company. He would get a first-hand encounter with what I was willing to do to secure the future of Chapman Inc. _I'm looking forward to our time together, Mr Vause._

/

The taxi pulled up right outside mine and Nicky's favourite bar. We often came here together for a drink after work. She was one of my closest friends and I enjoyed her company. I wasn't feeling particularly good and I had tried to cancel on her tonight, but she had insisted that I meet her and explain to her what all the rumours going around the company had actually been about.

"Yo my g." She joked, giving me a one-armed hug as a glass of whisky was already in the other hand. She knew me so well that she could tell exactly how I was feeling by just looking at my facial expression, even if I had put on a fake one to try and mask my feelings. "What's up Al?"

I sat down next to her and asked the bartender for a shot of whatever they recommended. Nicky gave me an extremely concerned look as I threw back two before finally beginning to explain my predicament. The alcohol warmed my throat and took the edge of the apprehension I was feeling.

"Some other company has decided to fucking weasel their way into the art business." I hissed, clenching my jaw afterwards.

"So people aren't kidding around, huh? These people sound like dicks." Nicky scoffed.

"You don't say." I downed another drink and flinched at the burning sensation.

"What are you going to do about it?"

I chuckled and looked at her straight in the eye. "From what I hear, the CEO is some blonde bimbo called Piper Chapman. She's probably some daddy's girl with too much money."

Nicky didn't look convinced. "Alex you need to think of a proper way to deal with this if it becomes a problem. I don't want to have to be that person who tells everyone they're getting a pay cut because of another company."

Her words were like knives. She sounded so self-centred right now, even though I knew deep down that that wasn't her intention. I had worked far too hard to get to this position for it to be taken away by some young girl who thought that being an international trader was easy. She probably grew up with shit loads of money already waiting for her and had no idea what sacrifices others had made to get to the point where they could even think about calling themselves successful.

"This woman is not going to get in my way, not after everything I've been through. I'll make sure."

"Tell me what you want to do. I can talk to my team about it." Nicky's expression had softened. I knew she cared about me and I cared too, but she had no idea what I had been going through these past few months. There was nothing she could do.

"Bring my mom back from the fucking dead." My cheeks were hot and my heart was beating faster as I felt the anger inside me burning.

Nicky sighed and looked at me in the eyes again. "I'm sorry for what happened. I am, but you need to stop using that against me all the damn time."

I could hear what she was saying and it all made perfect sense, but the inferno of rage that was now blazing inside me would not let me hear reason. "You have no fucking idea what I'm going through right now. Your mom was never around. You don't know what it's like."

"No, maybe I don't. That doesn't give you an excuse to use it as a weapon all the time."

I took a breath to say something else, but my words failed me.

"Alex, you need to chill the fuck out. You've always been a control freak but since your mother passed, you've been worse. Take some time off or something, but you need to calm your shit."

I stared at her before leaving some money on the bar, standing up and walking out without another word. I was too pissed off and upset to deal with this right now. Tears welled up and stung my eyes as I stepped out into the blistering cold. I wrapped my jacket tighter around my body and walked down the street. I needed air. I needed space.

I didn't live too far from the bar, but the walk made my legs ache slightly. My two-floor apartment was right at the top of a prestigious complex and it had a killer view. I pulled my keys out of my bag with my icy cold, red hands and fumbled at the lock. Climbing the stairs was painful but I was pretty used to it having lived here for two years.

The sweet warmth of my apartment burned my cheeks at first but then turned to a caress. I threw my bag at the wall and screamed in frustration. _Everything's going fucking wrong,_ I spat in my mind. Nicky was pissing me off, some other company was a threat to mine and my mom was fucking gone. In a matter of months, things had gone from pretty good to fucking shit.

I stomped into my bathroom and slammed the door, tears streaming from my eyes. I pulled off my glasses and splashed some cold water on my face, trying to restore some composure. My hands shook as a gripped the sink, staring intently at the reflection in the mirror looking back at me. She looked different, not quite right. Her dark hair was unkempt, messy from the bitter wind. Her eyes were bloodshot, contrasting the pale green of her irises. The usually pale skin was pink and flushed, with shiny trails of tears and cold water.

 _Get your shit together Alex,_ I told myself authoritatively. Despite my reaction, I knew Nicky was right. This shit that was happening to me couldn't affect my work anymore or I would be in the thick of it. Tomorrow, I would march right over to Chapman Inc. and tell that bitch Piper Chapman exactly what I thought of her and her company. I wouldn't hold anything back; all of the frustrations I had built up over the past months would be used as fuel for my encounter with her tomorrow. She was going to realise exactly who she was dealing with.

This plan was very appealing, and a slight smile spread across my lips. I dried my face and headed back out into my bedroom, changing into some comfier clothes. There was little I felt like doing at the time, so I got straight into bed. My head ached and my throat was sore, but my eyes were far too heavy for me to do anything about it. I let myself fall into an uneasy sleep.

The next morning, I felt immediately that my anger and rage had not subsided. My thoughts drifted to the previous night and I shivered, cringing at what I had said to Nicky. I sat up and ran my hands through my hair and rubbed my face. Turning to the left, I saw that it was a sunny day through my window. This cheered me up a little, although my mind remained in a dark place. I still had a lot of healing to do.

I put on a black pantsuit and applied some subtle makeup that made my eyes look dark. I wanted to look intimidating at least. There were heavy bags under my eyes with I did my best to cover up. Satisfied with how I was dressed, I headed straight out to the car park in front of the complex and unlocked my car.

My hands gripped the steering wheel so hard that I could see my knuckles turning white. The closer I drove to Chapman's building, the bigger the pit in my stomach grew. It threatened to make me vomit, something I figured was caused by both stress and the lack of food in my system at the time.

Things had been hard enough for me without having to deal with shit from work too. I knew that this job would be difficult and trying, but it had gotten too much with the passing of my mother too. A sudden aneurysm had taken her from me. Thinking about it made my eyes sting with the threat of tears once again and I clutched the steering wheel even harder.

I made my way into one of the guest car parking spaces and took a deep breath. As long as I stuck to the rough idea I had of what I would say, I would be fine.

I stepped into the company building, amazed at the style of the place. The receptionist looked up and smiled at me. "Can I help you ma'am?"

"Hello, my name is Alex Vause," I introduced, "and I'm here to see Piper Chapman."

Her expression told me that she knew exactly who I was. Her eyes widened slightly and her body language stiffened. "Of course. I'll let her know you're here. Please take a seat."

I sat down on a red leather sofa, surrounded by clean white walls and security cameras. I was very aware of my body language, being careful not to show any weakness or flaw in my presentation. Within minutes, the receptionist told me to head up to the 21st floor and knock on the door at the end of the room. I thanked her and stepped into the sleek elevator. It took a while to reach the top level of the building, so I used this time to make sure I was completely calm and collected for this meeting.

The doors opened. I walked down the aisle between desks full of people who looked up at me, confused expressions of their faces. Some of them whispered to each other, suspecting who I was. I ensured I didn't look at any of them and kept my gaze fixed on the door ahead of me.

When I reached it, I paused before raising my hand and knocking three times.

Pause.

"Come in." A voice called out.

My hand gripped the handle and turned it, pushing the door open. I closed it behind me and was immediately surprised at the sight in front of me.

There stood the most beautiful woman I had ever seen in my life. She was average height, slender and her shoulder length hair was golden blonde. Her expression was serious but her deep blue eyes contained endless emotion. There was nothing hard about her eyes.

"You're a woman." She observed, appearing surprised, "I had assumed you were a man."

I ignored this comment and proceeded with my plan. "Your company has had no business with the import and export of art before. What made you decide to invest in it?" I asked as I approached her.

"It looked profitable." Piper explained, her features looking even more defined and perfect now that I had closed the distance between us. "Surely that's a good enough reason?"

My suspicions had been correct. This woman was extremely naïve and was testing my patience. "You're aware that you could put me out of business, correct? I'm sure my employees have made this more than clear to you."

"Of course. However, I chose to ignore the feeble attempts at intimidation they made. My guess is that's why you decided to come here yourself instead."

My fists clenched. "It's in your best interests," I paused to make eye contact with the remarkable but tedious blonde, "to back off."

She chuckled. "My best interests? I hardly think that's the case here. I'd like to know what exactly you plan to do if I refuse."

I had ideas, but I wasn't going to disclose these to her. "Let's hope it doesn't come to that. I'd much rather you simply did as I asked."

"Well, then I do refuse your request. I have an opportunity to make my profits soar and I'm not going to abandon this without an extremely good reason."

The smug expression on her face said it all. It was irritating and pissed me off badly, but also made me feel an incomprehensible feeling of attraction to her. _What the fuck are you thinking?_ I thought, _she's nothing but scum who's going to ruin your business. Do not even go there._

"Well then, you'll find that things become particularly difficult for you in the coming months." I threatened, "You will regret this. Just you fucking watch."

She looked surprised at my curse. "I'd appreciate it if you didn't use that language." She replied, her tone perfectly calm.

"I'll use whatever fucking language I want, don't you dare push me."

"Carry on and I'll call security. I think you should leave."

I knew that if I spent any more time here with her, I would end up doing something I would most definitely regret. I turned to leave, still trying to ignore the feelings of lust that were rising in the back of my head.

/

I watched the rather tall, broad woman slam the door to my office behind her before letting out a deep breath of tension. My hand went through my hair and came down to rest on my cheek as I slipped into a trance of confusion, frustration and… no that wasn't right. _You're tired, Piper. That's all,_ I thought. I scoffed at myself and went back to my desk to pick up my phone and dial Lorna's number. An email wouldn't suffice for what happened here, I needed to explain this properly.

"Piper? What's going on?" I could tell by her tone that she was surprised and concerned that I had actually called her.

"Alex Vause just came to my office." I stated in a monotonous tone, " _She_ means business."

"She came here? This makes things interesting. You okay?"

I hesitated. Of course I wasn't okay. A rival CEO had come to my office, threatened me and had managed to intimidate me rather well, but I knew I couldn't say that. I needed to ensure that no one even suspected my worry and anxiety.

"Of course I am," I replied, "but we need to talk about this properly. Organise a board meeting for tomorrow. This is getting out of hand."

I put down the phone and put my face in my hands. This woman was threatening everything I had worked for, everything I stood for. She obviously knew what she was doing which made this situation even more frustrating. She had more experience and was more inclined to reveal her emotions than I was. I was also extremely confused about why Alex had gotten so angry so quickly. It had unnerved me, and I was feeling incredibly disheartened and put off about my new investment.

I couldn't wait to tell Polly about all of this and thought about calling her right away but I decided not to. I needed time to myself to think about what had happened, calm myself down a little and deal with the extremely confusing feelings that were resonating in my stomach.

There was no doubt that Alex Vause was an extremely attractive woman, despite her slightly dishevelled appearance on our first meeting. However, her looks did not at all justify the slowly but surely growing sensation of lust that I just couldn't ignore. I refused to allow myself to feel this way about someone I was clearly supposed to hate. And I did hate her. _You hate her, Piper. You hate her._

"I hate her." I said aloud, as if that would make the statement even more truthful. I gathered all of my belongings and left my office, trying to leave behind the conflicting emotions that were battling in my mind.

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	2. It's a small world

**A/N: Thank you to everyone who left reviews on the last chapter! We're really grateful that you're giving our story a chance and we had so many positive reviews so thank you for that! We hope you enjoy this next chapter :)**

I tried to keep my cool as much as possible as I said goodbye to the people working outside of my office. There was no doubt that internally I was extremely worried about what this Alex woman was planning on attempting to do to my company, but I couldn't let anyone who didn't absolutely need to know become aware of the situation. The very last thing I wanted right now was to cause panic among my employees and have people doing things that were unnecessary or potentially dangerous to the company. People did stupid things when they were scared. That was something I definitely understood.

After the elevator reached the ground floor, I stepped out and walked out of the back door to the car park. My bag took its place on the smooth leather seat to my right and put my head down on the wheel. I let out a deep sigh of tension and placed my hands on my cheeks. My job had just gotten a whole lot more complicated and I had absolutely no idea what the fuck to expect from this situation.

I spent the following days consulting with Lorna and planning for various scenarios that could take place. It wasn't clear what Alex would do so we did our best to cover the majority of potential threats that she could pose, including buying more stocks from our suppliers leaving us with less to sell and taking away clients by offering them cheaper goods.

My mind would often wander back to the encounter we had in my office when we first met in person. To my slight worry and surprise, I kept thinking about how attractive the woman was and the way she had presented herself. Alex Vause was an extremely attractive woman and there was no doubt about it. She had been wearing a suit that was tight in all the right places and loose in all the others, accentuating her waist and hips. _Piper what the fuck are you thinking?_ I would think suddenly. Alex was attractive but that changed nothing. She was a threat and needed to be disposed of, nothing more and nothing less.

I spent very little time on my social life whilst all of this was going on. My routine consisted strictly of work and the small window of the day I spent at home. I wasn't surprised to receive a call from Polly one Saturday telling her that we needed to meet ASAP.

"Hey Pol, how's it going?" I relaxed back in my seat.

"Piper get over here, I'm fucking stressed out and I'm working on a Saturday. I have some crazy news to tell you and I haven't seen you in ages." She ranted down the phone.

I chuckled, relaxed by Polly's usual frantic and eccentric behaviour. Being around Polly meant I could mostly just listen and not have to say much, a position I often liked to be in. "Sure thing, I'll be right over."

My mood dampened a little at the thought of having to put on proper clothes but it would be worth it to see Polly. I got up off my sofa and walked into my bedroom, frowning slightly at the appearance I was met with in the mirror. My hair was messy and I wore a large grey hoodie and a pair of comfortable underwear. This wasn't exactly the ideal aesthetic I was aiming to pull off so I changed into some smart clothes; a plain black dress that ended just above the knee and a pair of black heels that reflected the light. I spent a few minutes tidying up my shoulder length blonde hair so it fell dead straight and applied some mascara and lipstick. Most people wouldn't go to so much effort just to see a close friend but I never left the house if I wasn't 100% satisfied with how I looked – I had to keep up appearances.

Polly's shop was easy to spot. It was along one of the main roads but stood out from all the others because of its bright pink sign that read 'Poppy's Artisanal Soaps'. I smiled slightly as I pulled into a parking space and stepped out of my car.

Entering the shop was like being slapped in the face by a bouquet of flowers. There were a few people browsing, pausing to pick up bars of soap or bottles of lotion and smelling them. The store was small but decorated beautifully, following a pastel colour scheme. Shelves were lined around the walls of the store that presented organised rows of bottles and boxes that were grouped together depending on their ingredients. A table in the middle showed off a huge collection of bath bombs and other products that were without a doubt, stunning.

Polly sat behind a small wooden counter with a till and piles of paperwork covering the surface. Despite her rushed tone of the phone, she looked quite content sitting there doing some filing. She looked up and her expression brightened when she spotted me, her mouth spreading into a wide smile.

"Piper why do you always have to dress like that? You should put some colour on for once." She embraced me in an affectionate hug which I gladly returned.

"You never know you'll run into, Pol. For me that's a risk I'm not prepared to take."

Polly rolled her eyes and proceeded to go into some elaborate story about someone she met at the bar another night. I tried my best to listen to her but my mind kept drifting to other things, one in particular. I pictured the tall dark-haired woman walking over to the desk in my office, her piercing green eyes full of anger and distress, but also some anxiety. This meant a lot to her. I could potentially use that to my advantage, as her fear could lead her to doing impulsive things that could turn things around in my favour. I smirked at this thought but made sure to clear it off my face quickly so I wouldn't evoke suspicion from Polly.

We carried on talking for a few hours and it began to settle into the late evening.

"Wow it's almost 5pm." Polly exclaimed checking her watch, "I should start closing up."

"Need a hand?"

"Not with closing the store, no," she got a mischievous look on her face, "but you could come with me to the bar tonight."

"Oh, Pol, I don't know…"

"Come on, Piper, even you need to let your hair down once in a while. It'll be fun."

I considered Polly's offer, and decided to accept on the basis that there would be alcohol available.

"Okay sure, but don't you dare try to set me up with anyone. You know I don't have room in my life for that bullshit."

Polly chuckled and shook her head.

I stood out on the sidewalk while Polly pulled down the shutters over the front of the store. The sun was beginning to set, casting an orange veil over the tall buildings that loomed over the streets. There was a crisp breeze in the air that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up and caused me to pull my jacket tighter around my body.

"If I spot a cute guy, you need to really talk me up okay?" Polly started, "And I mean a properly cute guy, if he's ugly just tell him I have chlamydia or something."

I snickered at Polly's joke and realised how much I'd missed spending time with her. Maybe she was right – I had been spending almost all of my time at the office and Alex hadn't actually shown her face since that day. She might have even just been bluffing, making empty threats. Either way, I deserved a night of fun with my best friend.

We reached the entrance to the bar and stepped into the dim lit, musky smelling building. It was reasonably busy but not too overcrowded. Polly and I made our way over to the bar stools and sat near the end of the counter. I ordered myself a margarita whilst Polly got herself a beer. "You're even too classy for a beer?" Polly joked.

"You know I'm a sucker for a good margarita."

"Don't I just." She said, clinking her bottle with my glass.

I turned to the rest of the room, scanning the other people who were in there with us. There were groups of friends and some people obviously drinking their troubles away alone. Polly was also assessing the room, obviously keeping an eye out for a guy to pursue. As I reached the end of the room, my eyes caught someone in particular. She had the biggest, dirty blonde hair I had seen. It looked almost like a lion's mane. She was talking to a friend but looked up and caught me staring at her. Before I could look away, she gave me a wink and a smile. I blushed slightly but looked away, showing my lack of interest.

After a pause, I looked back at the big-haired woman and then to the woman she was sitting with. Dark hair fell down her broad shoulders and ended above the centre of her back. She looked to the right, and I immediately realised who I was looking at. "Shit." I hissed.

/

Piper fucking Chapman. She was much more dedicated than I had originally expected. I was hoping that my confrontation of her at her office would have been enough to at least dampen her spirits a little, but clearly I had been mistaken. I would have to stay true to my word and find a way to really make sure she knew I meant business. Action needed to be taken before things got out of hand and I started losing money. I wouldn't let anything threaten my company.

This would not be something I shared with my employees. I dealt with most of my workers on a need-to-know basis to prevent rumours and panic from ever affecting the workforce. Situations like this only caused disruptions among everyone, just like the last time I decided to trust someone with the position of being my personal assistant.

Nicky Nichols was my most trusted assistant and employee. Everything I knew she knew, and she had never made me regret my decision to confide in her. Before she had come along, I had had another assistant who I trusted pretty much to the same level as I now trusted Nicky, however my previous employee had managed to steal a shitload of money behind my back and got away with it for a few months before the finance department started noticing that numbers weren't adding up. After some investigation, we found that the culprit had been my assistant. She was caught on security cameras changing the details of deals that had been made with clients to make it seem like they had bought less from us than they actually had, and she took the money that made the difference.

It had taken a while for me to find a new assistant to take her place and even when I did hire Nicky, I had been unable to trust her for quite some time. Since then however, she had proven herself as loyal and trustworthy and now I was certain that I would trust her with my life. She wasn't just my colleague, she was my best friend and the situation that was arising now would definitely be one that would be shared with her.

Thinking back to the problem at hand, my thoughts went back to my blonde rival and the harsh and unapologetic feelings of hate I had towards her. She was beautiful, rich and privileged and it was no surprise that she had been able to come so far in the business and in her career so quickly. It was likely that she had grown up in a large house with happily married parents and a pet dog. A beautiful, perfect American family. Her parents were probably able to send her to some fancy college and she hadn't really had to work for anything herself. She had no idea what it was like to build up a company from absolutely nothing with your bare hands. I sat back my office chair and started rubbing my temples, letting out a sigh as I did so. Even to this day I had issues with trusting people and preferred to take matters into my own hands.

I had spent the last few days working intensely, spending little time at home and no time with any friends. My work was my only focus right now and I wanted to think of my first strategies against Piper Chapman. I woke up early in the morning, came to work and left late at night. Some nights I had even slept in my office so I could skip the time that I wasted on my commute in the morning and in the evening. My sleeping schedule was all over the damn place as I wasn't sleeping enough and was suffering from some mild insomnia. I had no time for anything outside the workplace, including any kind of self-care. Eventually Nicky got worried about my wellbeing and decided to confront me in my office one night.

"Hey Vause, why don't you and I go out tonight? I made that sound like a request but it's really not, you have to come." she asked, a cheesy grin spread from ear to ear.

"You know I don't have the time for that right now Nicky, there's too much going on. I have so much to do and these documents aren't going to file themselves." I sighed.

"Alex you need to get out and let your hair down. Come on, we'll find you a nice girl, you can take her home and no one needs to know anything. Just stop going overboard with all of this and spend one night relaxing."

"Seriously, it's not a good idea for me. Besides I'm not exactly in the mood for that right now. By all means, go and find a hot chick to hook up with but I'm not going. I'm sorry."

"If you don't stop this unhealthy shit you're going to lose your mind. One night and you can go back to your mad work ethic."

This was an extremely bad idea but I knew Nicky wouldn't stop persisting. The only way to get her to shut up would be to just go with her plan.

"Alright fine, we'll go. Don't try and set me up with anyone though, I'm really not up for it."

"Okay, okay, fine. Pack your shit up and I'll call a cab. Just leave your car here tonight."

I switched off my laptop and put paperwork back in its folder. Picking up my bag, I switched the light off and locked the door behind me. Nicky was already waiting outside for me, a cigarette smoking away in her hand. "Alrighty Vause, let's get this show on the road."

The bar was reasonably quiet with dark mahogany furniture and the smell of alcohol and cheap perfume wafting through the room. In the corner of the room, a few people were dancing, including some pretty attractive girls. I wouldn't let myself talk to any of them though, there was no room for romance in my life.

"Let's get the booth in the corner." I said to Nicky over the classic rock music playing quietly in the background. We made our way over to the table and sat down. Nicky started eating the peanuts that were sat in a plastic bowl in the centre of the table while I sat back in my chair, still deep in thought about work and Piper Chapman.

"Hey Alex, some hot blonde chick just walked in with a real sexy friend. Think they'd be up for a threesome…?" Nicky's voice was drowned out by my approaching daydream, my thoughts spinning around Piper and work and all sorts of things I needed to sort out. Nicky was talking about something but I was paying no attention and it was almost as if her mouth was moving but no sound was coming out. My mind became even more frantic and crazy.

I felt my heart beat increasing and my breathing becoming more rapid. The room was too hot and I was starting to freak out. I needed to go and calm myself down somewhere.

"Hey Nicky I'll be right back, I just need to go to the bathroom real quick okay?" I stood up quickly and left to the back of the room before she could say anything.

My paces were quick as I rushed over to the bathroom door next to the dancefloor. As I got closer, I saw a flash of blonde hair whisk past me and I felt an impact on my shoulder. My eyes were met with hers and we both hesitated. My heart stopped and my breath hitched as she said a short, "Sorry." and left.

I barged into the bathroom and locked the door behind me, panting heavily and leaning on the wall. Tears were streaming down my face and my heart was racing. I clutched my chest and began wiping my face. Surely I had imagined her in my panicked state. It was a hallucination. It must have been. There was no way I had just happened to come to the same bar as her on the same night in the whole of New York City. The mirror in the bathroom showed a complete mess to me. My hair was messed up and my eyes were red and puffy. I grabbed some toilet paper and wiped away the rivers that were shining on my cheeks and took some deep breaths. If I was going to go back out there, I had to show no sign of weakness. She couldn't know that I had just come in here to recover from a panic attack.

After doing my best to get my shit together, I took a deep breath and left the bathroom.

/

Piper and Alex were both feeling extremely uncomfortable after their brief encounter. Neither of them had expected to see each other out of a work environment and started paying close attention to their surroundings. Alex returned to her seat with Nicky and began scanning the room for Piper, searching for that infamous shoulder length blonde hair she possessed. Eventually she spotted her, sitting at the bar with her friend. She seemed to be having a good time and the surprise contact that they had made seemed to have not bothered her at all. It took Alex a moment to realise that that was who Nicky had pointed out just before she left to go to the bathroom.

Alex couldn't keep her eyes off Piper, watching her every move. She was so casual and didn't look in Alex's direction once as if Alex was just another random person at the bar that night. Piper kept up conversation with Polly, fully aware of Alex's gaze on her. There was no way she would let Alex know that she too was feeling threatened. She made sure to appear completely laid-back and chilled out just to rub it in Alex's face. Nicky began to notice Alex's distraction and tried to ask her about it.

"What's on your mind, Vause?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"That blonde girl." Alex began.

"Oh yeah you noticed her too? I might try and chat her up in a bit. Maybe that brunette too, I'm always up for a threesome. Or maybe we can both go up, I'll have the blonde and you can have the brunette. I know blondes are your type but I can't let you take that one away from me tonight."

"You can't." Alex hissed, then she realised her unintentionally harsh tone and said softly, "That's Piper Chapman and some friend she's brought along. We bumped into each other when I left for the bathroom and now she's trying to wind me up."

Nicky said nothing to this, clearly shocked that Alex hadn't mentioned this earlier. Alex couldn't break her gaze from Piper as much as she tried, both mesmerised and infuriated by her laissez-faire attitude. She had a margarita in one hand and there were several empty glasses lined up on the bar next to her; clearly she'd been drinking quite a bit that night. Alex's anger was growing quickly. How dare this woman be able to have such a nice evening whilst Alex was having panic attacks at the mere thought of work? She was trying relentlessly to resist going and saying something to the blonde but her patience was wearing thin. Alex needed to remind Piper of her presence and attempt to make her uncomfortable in the same way she was. "Do you want another one?" Alex asked, gesturing towards Nicky's empty glass.

With all the confidence she could muster, Alex stood up and calmly walked to the bar. She made her way around the tables, only to see Piper stand up and stretch her arms. Her friend stood up as well and took Piper's hand – they were laughing about something and this just made Alex even more furious – and they both made their way over to the dancefloor. They were coming in Alex's direction and of course Piper's friend had absolutely no idea who Alex was but Piper didn't even look at her. Alex tried to get Piper's attention by looking at her more intensely but to no avail.

What made Alex's blood boil even more was that the blonde bumped into her again, but this time she didn't acknowledge it at all. _How can she be so fucking rude?_ Alex thought to herself in spite. Alex closed her eyes and took a deep breath to try and calm herself down and not confront the blonde again. Any more verbal contact between them would cause a scene and that was the last thing Alex wanted. She ordered drinks at the bar and took them back to Nicky who had seen the interaction between the two.

"What the hell happened there?" she asked Alex, taking the drink from her.

"That bitch just shoved into me." Alex spat in response. "Now she's dancing with her friend just to piss me off. Let's see how much she tries to wind me up.

Alex watched Piper from her seat whilst Piper and Polly danced together to the slow, mellow rock music that surrounded the bar. Alex paid little attention to Polly, focusing mainly on the tall, slim, blonde woman who was swaying her body perfectly in time with the music. Alex's mouth began to go dry so she took a sip of her drink, not taking her eyes away from Piper even for a second. The dress that Piper was wearing was still business-like and smart, but had a hint of sexuality behind it as it hugged her waist and hips. It ended mid-thigh, so her toned legs were on full show for everyone to see, much to Alex's frustration and confusion. The heels that Piper was wearing made her look taller and more dominant. She shouldn't have been checking out Piper like this, but she couldn't seem to resist.

Piper carried on her performance, feeling Alex's eyes burning holes in her back. She knew that this would wind Alex up and that just made her want to continue even more. _This evening may just be advantageous for me._ She thought, smiling to herself and passing it off as a smile at Polly, who was occasionally looking over at some guy. She knew that this was inappropriate and she should be more professional than this, but she couldn't help but feel a hint of satisfaction at Alex's reaction to the evening. Piper was the master of keeping up appearances and her experience had come extremely useful for this night out.

Polly had started dancing with the guy she'd been practically eye-fucking all night, so Piper carried on dancing by herself, revelling in the reaction she was getting out of Alex. This was Piper's opportunity to really piss off Alex and it was working well, because Piper could clearly see the rage and frustration on her face as she turned to look at her.

Alex's eyes widened slightly as Piper continued dancing, their eyes not breaking away from each other. _You fucking asshole._ Alex thought, as if hoping for some kind of telepathic connection. Piper noticed Nicky looking at her too but didn't let this distract her from hatefully staring at Alex as if the two were having a mental argument.

Alex's stomach churned as Piper stretched her arms above her and swayed her hips rhythmically. She was captivated by Piper's movements and that undeniable feeling of lust that Alex had been working so hard to suppress began to reveal itself once again. _Stop it Alex, this is ridiculous._ She thought, mentally slapping herself on the wrist, but Piper's performance drowned this thought out and Alex found herself biting her lip. As soon as she realised what she was doing she stopped, and she hoped Piper hadn't noticed the unconscious action.

"She's really something Alex. The fact that I have to stay away from her is like torture. Just look at those hips, damn it." Nicky said behind her. Alex turned to find that her friend was also watching Piper's show and was completely enticed just like she had been. Nicky's pupils had dilated and she was bouncing her leg, clear signs of the attraction she was experiencing. Alex couldn't blame her at all, but she knew that she couldn't let Nicky try and pick up Piper or the situation could be disastrous.

"Keep it in your pants tonight, Nichols. We don't fuck the enemy." Alex said with a slight smirk.

Piper had noticed Alex's reaction to her and there was no doubt that it did excite her a little. She couldn't help but allow a wave of arousal sweep over her, causing her to close her eyes and take a deep breath. It surged through her and made her shiver a little, goosebumps prickling over her arms and making the room a little warmer. Piper quickly realised her mistake and brought herself back from the sensation. _Piper no, don't let her control you like that. You're the one who's calling the shots here._ Piper ordered herself. She didn't stop dancing, but she refused to let herself have that kind of reaction to Alex's gaze. It was unacceptable.

Polly turned back to face Piper, her facial expression a little dark. "What's up Pol?" Piper asked.

"That dude's a douchebag, he just started dancing with some other girl. Fucking bitch." She replied with a sigh.

Piper felt a little bad for Polly, but realised she could use this to her advantage. Alex's friend had been eyeing up them both and so Piper decided she would put on a little show for them.

"That's okay, you can dance with me. I'm probably better at it anyway." Piper winked.

"It's so nice to see you letting your hair down Piper." Polly smiled. She was under the impression that Piper was just acting out and that there was no hidden agenda behind it whatsoever.

They started dancing together and Piper made sure that it was provocative and sensual, just to wind Alex up even more. She put her arms around Polly's neck and swayed with her, making Polly laugh with both embarrassment and glee. Piper giggled slightly too but knew that this was just to show off for Alex and there was no real joke behind this. Polly thought that this was just a joke between two best friends who were acting just a little gay together for the fun of it, but Piper was extremely pleased by the thought of how this sight would make Alex feel.

"Fuck those two are killing me Alex." Nicky hissed. Alex ignored her, as Nicky's commentary on the attractiveness of Piper and Polly was not helping her fight off the temptation she was experiencing. If Piper wasn't the CEO of the company that was threatening to ruin Alex's career, she would have been someone that Alex definitely would have tried to hook up with.

Alex felt exactly what Piper wanted her to feel: anger, lust, frustration and temptation all at once. Nicky was delighted at what was going on despite her complaints that she couldn't fuck either of them, but Alex's emotions were all over the place. She was so sick of this control that Piper had over her at that moment. She decided it might just be best for her to leave, but not without saying something. The urge to confront her was so strong but Alex knew she needed to keep her cool, despite how she'd been acting all evening. It was a good idea for her to leave before the situation escalated any further.

"Hey Nicky? I think I'm gonna head home. This is just getting too irritating for me and if I don't leave now I might end up doing something I'll regret." Alex said, standing up from her chair and straightening her jacket.

"Okay sure, it's getting late anyway. Looks like I won't be getting lucky tonight. PornHub is calling my name once again." Nicky pulled out her phone to call a taxi and headed out of the door. Alex waited for her to leave before she made her way over to the dancefloor and up to Piper. Their eyes met for a second, making both of the women's hearts skip a beat but Alex broke the contact, bringing her gaze to Piper's lips. Polly stood behind Piper, not quite realising who Alex was. Piper crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow, making Alex's stomach flutter.

"It's a small world." Alex said, and with a quick glance at Polly, she turned away and left the bar. The cool evening air caressed her flushed, hot cheeks as she went to stand next to Nicky, taking the cigarette that her crazy-haired friend offered her.

 **Faves, follows and reviews are appreciated x**


	3. This Means War

**Previously...**

 _"It's a small world." Alex said, and with a quick glance at Polly, she turned away and left the bar. The cool evening air caressed her flushed, hot cheeks as she went to stand next to Nicky, taking the cigarette that her crazy-haired friend offered her._

* * *

Taking a drag of Nicky's cigarette, I stood next to her and felt her eyes burning into the side of my face. I turned to look at her and saw a curious and confused expression on her face. Clearly she wanted to ask me what was going on with Piper in the bar but I didn't have much interest in explaining the situation. If anything, I was embarrassed to actually admit the attraction I had towards Piper. Even though I told everything to Nicky, I really didn't feel like talking about what happened.

"Okay Vause, come on and spit it out. What happened in there with her?" she asked, taking her cigarette from me when I offered it back to her.

I did a hefty sigh and turned to face her, a slightly annoyed expression on my face. "She reminds of me Amanda, Nick. That feeling of unease and discomfort is exactly how I felt when I was told that Amanda had been stealing from us."

* * *

 _Alex was sat in the board meeting room, her legs crossed and her thumbs twiddling nervously. Her mind_ came _in and out of focus on what the directors were actually saying to her as she found it incredibly difficult to come to terms with what she was being told. Her company had lost a huge sum of money over the past few months and they had done investigation into why. Alex was confused as to why she hadn't been told about this sooner but she was more focused on the fact that they had found the reason why and were ready to take appropriate action. This reassured her but she was still feeling uncomfortable for some reason. Her stomach was twisted as if her gut was trying to tell her something._

" _Security cameras have actually been able to catch Amanda changing figures on our database…"_

 _Alex's head shot up. She must have heard wrong. Amanda was Alex's most trusted employee and there was no way she would have gone behind Alex's back like this._

 _Amanda sat to Alex's right, her body language and facial expression presenting her nerves and anxiety clearly. Alex didn't pay too much attention to her because she knew that_ _if she looked at Amanda she wouldn't be able to contain herself. She already felt nauseous, betrayed, disappointed._

" _If we hadn't caught her in time, we might not have been able to recover from this."_

 _To think that her company might not have been able to keep going because of Amanda. Alex turned to look at her, a saddened expression on her face. "Is this true?"_

 _Amanda was welling up and her voice cracked as she whispered, "I am so, so sorry."_

 _With that, Alex stood up and stormed out of the meeting room, ignoring the directors calling after her. She marched into the elevator, pressed the button so hard it hurt her finger and stood, one hand in her hair and the other on her hip. When reaching the top floor, Alex stomped into her office_ _and slammed the door behind her. She paced around the room like a caged puma, thinking about the damage this could have done to her company. This company was her life and without it, she didn't know how she would cope. She'd never felt so out of control and powerless. "This will not happen again." She hissed to herself, seeing a police car approaching the building from her window._

* * *

"This is a conversation for when we're sober, Nicky. I don't feel like talking about this right now" I said to her, pulling my jacket further around me when I was met with a blast of breeze. I could see my breath turn to mist as I breathed out.

I had no idea why Piper reminded me of that situation with Amanda but it made me feel physically sick. I had a horrible feeling that history could repeat itself, despite this being a completely different could tell that I was uncomfortable with the conversation and dropped it, just as the taxi pulled up.

We didn't say much on the drive back to Nicky's apartment, mainly because I was staring out of the window deep in thought. Was I attracted to Piper Chapman? Of course I was, anyone would be. She was hot and beautiful and I did have a thing for blondes. My mind went back to her dancing in the bar, the way her hips moved and the way her eyes met mine. Without warning my eyes closed and I slipped into a light doze until I was interrupted by my phone ringing.

"Fuck." I hissed to myself after seeing who the caller was.

"Who is it?" Nicky asked.

"Fucking Sylvie." I sighed.

Nicky chuckled. "You a call girl now, Vause?"

I shot her a dirty look and put the phone up to my ear. "Hey Sylvie how's it going?"

"Alex, I've been thinking about you." Sylvie breathed down the phone.

"I can't tonight, I'm not up for it."

"Come on, baby please. I'm so wet already…"

"Sylvie seriously. Not now." I hung up the phone and put it back in my jacket pocket, leaning my head in my hand. Nicky's face was still smiling and I could tell she was just waiting to make a remark at me.

"Usually you're the one chasing after her." She smirked.

"Yeah well, she's getting clingy." I sighed.

"Maybe it's a thing, once you get a taste of Alex Vause you don't really go back."

I laughed at this. Nicky always knew how to cheer me up, hence why she was my best friend.

We arrived at Nicky's apartment before too long. It was in a block 16 storeys high of which Nicky lived on the 6th. Her apartment smelled of cigarettes and alcohol. It wasn't a large apartment but had a leather sofa in the back left corner opposite the door. There was a kitchen in the room behind the living room and Nicky's bedroom was to the right. It was cosy and warm, just like Nicky.

Without warning Nicky threw a pillow and some blankets at me. "You've got the couch Vause. I'd let you sleep in my bed but I don't want to end up like Sylvie, practically begging for you-"

"Alright I get the picture, dickhead." I laughed, "See you in the morning."

After setting up my makeshift bed on Nicky's couch, I lay down and got myself into a comfortable position. I spent what felt like hours attempting to sleep but my mind kept racing. There was nothing but flashing thoughts of Piper and my company and all the work I needed to do. And again, that image of Piper at the bar dancing. It was burnt into my brain, repeating itself over and over again. All I could think about was her figure, her hair and also the way she was threatening to ruin my entire life.

She had such a grip on me and I hated it. There was nothing I enjoyed about this situation. After so much time of not having any rivalry, the sudden change was a complete shock to my system and I wasn't used to it.

"Alex, stop it." I whispered to myself. This wasn't the kind of thing I should think about while blind drunk. I did my best to dismiss my thoughts and fell into an uneasy sleep. I didn't dream, but I constantly woke up in the night creating a blur between my sleep and reality. It wasn't pleasant and it made me feel nauseous.

I was awoken by Nicky crashing around in the kitchen and the sudden curse, "Where the fuck is the coffee?" My head was pounding and I felt like crap. I hadn't even taken my glasses off before I slept so they were half hanging off my face making me look even more like a hot mess. I was still in my clothes from the night before minus my trousers which were sprawled on the floor. Pushing my glasses back up on my face, I rolled off the couch and into Nicky's kitchen where I found her even more messy haired than usual with her head in her hands. She had a dressing gown around her and an empty mug was on the counter to her right, a teaspoon sticking out of it.

"Good morning." I said to her as strongly as I could, getting a mug out for myself. She gave me a groan of discomfort in response and looked up at me, her eyes hooded and make up smudged all over her face. She looked awful, her eyes full of disdain and suffering.

"It was an awful idea to go out last night and I didn't even get laid. You really killed my vibe." She moaned, pouring coffee into our mugs now that it was finished being made. She pushed the mug towards me and brought hers up to her lips.

"There were so many women at that bar but you just had to go and check out Piper Chapman," even just saying her name made my heart speed up, "and her friend."

"Speaking of which, are you going to explain to me properly what went on? You really shoved me off last night." Nicky asked, taking a sip of her coffee.

I sighed, not really wanting to go into this again. I knew that I could trust Nicky but telling her about this would mean I had to admit it to myself as well. I knew I couldn't keep pushing it away but I was sick of having to bury the feelings deep down.

"I guess I'm just really confused. I know I'm supposed to hate her but I'm also really fucking attracted to her you know? I mean I do hate her but fuck it's been bugging me so much and I don't know how to deal with any of this."

"I get it, but hey man you'll figure it out. You're Alex Vause, you always do." Nicky tried to reassure me. I smiled weakly at her, grateful that she was doing her best to make me feel better. I drank the rest of my coffee, bouncing my leg restlessly.

"Right, we need to get to work. Mind if I borrow some clothes?"

I took a shower first whilst Nicky got an outfit together for me. The hot water felt amazing cascading down my body and I imagined it washing away all my stress and worry. It was so relaxing and comforting that I was a little disappointed when it was time for me to get out. Nicky got in straight after I did, leaving me to get dressed. She had left a white shirt, black business jacket and a knee-length black pencil skirt.

I put the clothes on and checked myself out in the mirror, pleased with how the outfit looked on me. I proceeded to tie my hair up in a bun and waited for Nicky to finish getting ready. Nicky's bedroom was quite sizeable and had a double bed pushed into the corner on the left. I sat down on the side of it, facing her white wardrobe. The apartment's only bathroom was through the door to the right of the wardrobe.

Nicky came through it eventually, a towel wrapped tightly around her. "I won't be long boss."

I chuckled at her. "Nicky I've told you not to call me that."

"All the others do." She shot back.

"Yeah well," I was fiddling with the buttons on Nicky's jacket, "they're not my friend like you are."

She stuck her tongue out at me and finished getting dressed before gesturing for me to go out the door. Since I'd left my car in the company car park overnight, Nicky and I got another taxi to work. I was feeling a little better after speaking to Nicky about how I felt about Piper, but I was still so wound up and confused about everything and I was reminded of that every time I went to work. She was dominating my thoughts and I hated it with every inch of my being.

The weather outside was overcast which corresponded to my feeling and thoughts: clouded and slightly dark. There was a cold breeze in the air that sent a chill down my back, causing goosebumps to prickle all over my body. I didn't mind the cold too much but I had hoped for brighter weather to get my spirits up a little.

Arriving at work, Nicky and I got in the elevator together and reached the top two floors of the building. Nicky's office was on the floor below mine, so she kissed my cheek goodbye and left me to go up to the floor above her. I said good morning to all the people who were walking around outside my office before stepping inside.

There was definitely a feeling of unease I noticed whenever I came into my office now. I was less sure of everything, less confident. I decided it was a good idea to check my emails; hopefully they would contain some good news that would make me feel better about the whole situation. I sat down at my desk and opened up my laptop. After typing in my log in details, I clicked on the icon for my inbox and began studying the various subjects of the messages I'd received. One caught my eye in particular – it was from a client.

Opening up the message, my heart sank further and further as I read more of the message. The leftover embers of my rage from the previous night caught fire again and I yelled out, "Motherfucker!" I slammed my fist down on my desk and continued to seethe. The client no longer wanted to buy art from us because they had found a new company that offered them a cheaper deal and better services. _Piper fucking Chapman._ I brooded instinctively. In my complete and utter state of fury, I clicked on the icon to compose a new message and typed in Piper's email address.

 _Piper,_

 _You've ignored my warning, and now you're going to see exactly what I warned you about. I will destroy you career. Your business, your company, everything will become nothing. You have no idea what I will do to you but know this, you_ _will regret taking my clients away from me and trying to weaken everything I've built over years. Something you wouldn't understand. You're a horrible human being and I will shut you down. This is your last warning._

 _Alex Vause_

My words were full of spite and strife, throwing phrases to both threaten and warn Piper to stop what she was doing. I wrote for what felt like ages and poured out all of my negative emotions towards the blonde into the email. The whole message was passionate and brutal, everything I had hoped it would be. Without hesitation I clicked the send button and sat back in my chair, a wave of relief after releasing all those emotions hitting me.

The next 30 minutes were painful. I eagerly awaited Piper's reply, imagining the various reactions she could have to my email in my head. I was somewhat pissed off that Piper still hadn't replied after such a long time but I was also pissed at myself for waiting because usually this wouldn't have bothered me at all. Why was Piper so different? Why did she have such an effect on me? Why was I so concerned about whether she replied to my email or not?

I got so worked up at her dismissal of me that I cursed under my breath, stood up and went to check on Nicky, the only person who could understand me right now.

* * *

I watched the brunette turn around and leave, the words she said still lingering in the air around me. The door closed behind her and Polly came around to cut my vision from the spot where Alex had once stood.

"What was that all about?" she asked, her face full of concern.

I thought about telling her what had actually happened with Alex that evening but I decided against this. I didn't really feel like talking about it.

"It's nothing. Let's get one more drink and then call it a night, yeah?" I smiled, changing the subject.

"Okay you go ahead but I think I might stay for a little longer. I'm desperate to find a guy, Piper." She chuckled.

After downing one more drink, I put on my jacket and left the bar. Alex's words still remained in my head, repeating over and over again. It was hard to stand so I did my best to brush them off, stepping forward to hail a cab from the street. I just wanted to go home, go to sleep and forget everything that had happened. On the journey to my house, I felt myself dozing on and off, the alcohol in my system making me feel drowsy.

As soon as I stepped into my house, I was hit by a feeling of loneliness. It was unexpected and unwelcoming, but my drunken self said to call someone right here, right now. I pulled my phone out and held it up in front of me, scrolling through my list of contacts. I wasn't paying too much attention to who I called but the distinctive voice was immediately recognisable.

"Piper, what the fuck, it's 2am!" Larry hissed down the phone at me.

"Larry, I just really need someone to talk to right now," I slurred, "Can't you talk for a while?"

"This is ridiculous. Call Polly or something. If you really need me then call me in the morning but I can tell you're drunk out of your fucking mind. Go to bed."

He hung up, leaving me angry and, once again, alone. I was so frustrated with everyone, especially Alex and now Larry too. I cursed at my phone and stumbled my way up the stairs and into my bedroom. The last thing I remember was falling on to my bed and immediately falling asleep.

The next morning, I woke up to light streaming through my curtains and my dog sniffing my face. My head pounded and I was still in all my clothes from the night before. "How you doing, Julio?" I asked weakly, sitting up and petting him lovingly. My eyes drifted over to my clock and I was immediately struck by the fact that I was horribly late for work.

I ran around my bedroom, quickly washing my face, brushing my teeth, throwing fresh clothes on and charging out of the door. On my way to work, I stopped to grab a coffee from my favourite coffee shop and then arrived at my company's building. Just as I was about to enter the building, I received a call from Polly.

"Hey Piper, you okay?" she asked. I could hear both a hangover and concern in her voice.

"Yeah I'm fine." I lied, "How about you, did you get home okay?"

"Yeah, no look with any guys though. I'm so depressed and sexually frustrated it's torture." She moaned.

"I feel you, Pol. Don't worry we'll find you a great guy at some point." I tried to sound as confident as possible.

"Thanks Piper. You at work?"

"I'm just about to head in. I'm a tad late this morning."

"Ah, I won't keep you then. Have a nice day, I love you."

"I love you too Polly."

It was nice to have a friend like Polly. She was always there for me when I needed her and she usually knew what I was feeling without me needing to tell her, although she hadn't picked up on my awful mood this morning. I headed for my office, eager to look over my emails. We'd made a few more deals and I was quite positive that they would be profitable for us.

I reached my office and sat down at my desk. My laptop was ready and waiting for me and I eagerly logged in and opened up my emails. It was just as I anticipated, my clients were extremely pleased with the business we'd been doing with them. Smiling, I scrolled through all the positive feedback until something caught my eye. It was a message from Alex Vause.

As I read it, my previously good mood sank into a feeling of distress and frustration. Alex's message was unnecessarily vulgar and harsh and it hit a nerve in me. She was upset because we'd taken away some of her clients ('upset' was a serious understatement judging by her email) and the way she was talking to me just made me feel worse and worse. I decided to send a reply, emotions taking over me and making me type similarly harsh and personal messages.

 _Alex,_

 _Your words are empty. You won't do anything, I know you won't. Nothing you say will deter me from doing exactly what I plan to do because I know what you are. You're just scared and you're trying to do the easy thing and get me to stop before I become a serious problem. I saw you the other night. You were watching me. I saw the way you looked at me so don't try and act like this isn't getting to you. I know it is and it shows. You can't stop me that easily Alex._

 _Piper Chapman_

I chose to bring up the other night, telling her I knew that she was watching me and that I knew she wouldn't do any of the things that she threatened to do because she was a coward. A coward who was too afraid to actually do any of the things she threatened do.

After reading over my message and feeling satisfied with it, I sent it. A deep breath that I didn't realise I had been holding in was released from my lungs. I wanted her to read it and I wanted her to be angry, I wanted her to feel rage towards me and know she was powerless to actually change anything.

It wasn't long before I received a reply from her. The reaction I had gotten out of her was both incredibly satisfying and frustrating. I read the message a few times before I realised that the tone of her message was exactly what I was worried it was.

 _Yes, I enjoyed the little show you put on for me. It was very entertaining and it looked like you were_ _enjoying yourself quite a bit. Any chance I could request another? Watch your back Chapman, you won't see me coming._

Was she flirting with me? It felt like she was and I wasn't sure how to feel about it. It pissed me off because Alex seemed to think she was some kind of irresistible sex goddess who could have anyone she wanted. I decided not to reply to this email because she was pissing me off too much and I was too tired and hungover to argue with her.

Things were about to get very interesting.

 **A/N: Thanks for reading guys! Sorry this chapter is shorter than the others. Next chapter get ready for things to get a little more intimate ;) Faves/follows/reviews are always appreciated x**


	4. Wait, don't leave yet

It had been an extremely long day and I was exhausted as hell. All I really wanted to do was climb into bed and sleep away the stress of the day. Just as I finished taking off my makeup, brushing my teeth and putting my pyjamas on, I heard my phone go off. I debated whether to check it or not as it was likely that the message had something to do with work and I was definitely finished for the day. Eventually I decided to check the notification in case it was something important from a client. Picking up my phone and scanning the screen, I saw that it was another email from Piper. My heart began to beat faster, which evoked confusion in me. The confusion wasn't just due to the unexpected reaction I'd experienced from Piper's email, but also because it was late and I wasn't sure why she was emailing me at this time.

Piper and I had been chatting quite a bit over the previous week, much to my initial surprise. After she had replied to my last email asking why I was making the whole situation so personal when it was strictly about work, I had ended up being extremely honest about feeling threatened and how much the company meant to me. Of course I had explained it rather angrily and without really thinking much about what I was saying which meant that I instantly regretted talking so much about my past. Funnily enough, Piper had said she understood where I was coming from and that she had had problems with her mother about her life choices. Immediately I felt bad about being so judgmental and assuming she had just gotten all her money from her parents. Over the previous week, we'd ended up talking about things unrelated to work and gotten to know each other a little better. I could even say I almost _liked_ Piper, but then my instincts would kick back in and remind me that no matter how well we got on, she was still basically my enemy.

Piper's email was an update on what she was doing at that moment; she was playing with her dog Julio who she'd bought a new toy for. I smiled at this, which took me aback slightly. It was odd to talk to Piper in such a friendly and informal way since I was so used to either threatening her or not even acknowledging her existence whatsoever. Since we'd kept out companies to ourselves for a while (Piper hadn't attempted to contact any of my clients recently, much to my relief), we were able to keep things civil.

Piper and I chatted for a while over email, including her adding a few pictures of Julio enjoying his present. The topic of conversation stayed close to dogs – Piper had an unconditional love for all dogs – and her feigning anger when I told her that I tended to prefer cats. The more we spoke, the more I thought that Piper and I would have made great friends if it wasn't for the companies. My desire to establish friendship with her, however, was not powerful enough to convince me that a friendship between us would be harmless or even worth the risk. Every time a thought of how Piper and I could manage being in such a situation popped up in my head, I quickly dismissed it and refused myself to fantasise about such things. I knew that talking to Piper in this way was dangerous and comparable to playing with fire but that didn't stop me. I may have been a cold-hearted business woman but I was not going to rid myself of the opportunity to have a pleasant conversation with someone, regardless of with whom it was.

Suddenly, my phone began to ring. It took me by surprise as I was in the middle of typing a reply to Piper's email and the number wasn't recognised. The only person who would be calling me at this hour would have been Nicky but since she was saved in my contacts, her name would have come up on my screen. With some hesitation, I tapped the green icon to answer the call and said as confidently as I could muster, "Hello?"

"Alex Vause, how lovely to speak to you properly again." The infamous voice replied into my ear.

My stomach twisted at the sound of her words. The sound momentarily distracted me from the rush of questions that quickly bombarded my mind, aching to be answered. "How did you find my number?" I asked.

"Well when you work in such a business, you find ways to uncover information you want. I always find email incredibly impersonal so I thought that actually talking to you on the phone might be more enjoyable."

I was always surprised at how well-spoken Piper was. From my horrific experience at high school, girls like Piper didn't have any care for vocabulary or any sort of structured way of speaking. Usually my interactions with them had consisted of being insulted and mentally tortured.

"Under any other circumstances I would have found that incredibly creepy, perhaps even resembling the beginning of you stalking me."

Piper laughed and the sound was angelic. My stomach did another somersault which made me feel uncomfortable. Why was she having such an effect on me?

"I'm not really the stalking type. I make sure people know if I'm interested or not."

She said this with a slight edge in her voice, as if she'd said it just to get to me. I decided to change the subject because I was convinced my heart was going to burst out of my chest any moment.

"How's Julio?" I asked, trying to sound as collected as possible.

"Well you know, he's my g, as some people would say. He's asleep on my lap right now."

"Sounds sweet. What breed is he again?"

"Labrador. They're my favourites because they're just so excited all the time and they're so soft, although they do try and eat absolutely everything."

We spoke for a few hours. Piper brought up how she'd had another argument with her mum about how she was running the company. She didn't talk to her dad very much as he and her mother were having a few problems. Piper didn't seem to mind much though as she said she'd grown up with it. I told her about how I'd lost my mother and that we were extremely close; her passing hit me extremely hard. It was an emotional conversation but I was surprised by how comfortable I felt talking about this with Piper.

Eventually it got to the point where we both needed to sleep in order to get up for work the next day so we said goodnight to each other and hung up. I immediately saved Piper's number into my phone and put it down on my bedside table, a smile plastered across my face as I switched the light off and got into bed.

/

I slept incredibly well, a strange feeling of contentment surrounded me as I was sleeping. The following morning was bright and rays of sunshine floated through my curtains, lighting up my bedroom. As I shifted and woke up, I felt my dog also wake up and start to walk around the bed, occasionally poking me with his nose.

"Good morning Julio." I said to him, reaching out and stroking his head. I then sat up and yawned, rubbing my eyes. My thoughts went back to my conversation with Alex from the previous night and I smiled. I hadn't expected such a nice, long conversation with her but it had made me realise that I had potentially gotten the wrong impression from Alex. I had assumed she was a bitch who cared about nothing and no one but herself, but especially after our conversation about our mothers, I had discovered that she was actually a very loving and sensitive woman. I smiled again and lay back down, feeling even more pleased when Julio came and lay his down across my stomach.

I decided not to go to work that day but instead to spend some time at home relaxing. After the stressful and busy week I'd had, I felt I deserved it. If I did do anything productive, it would be some cleaning and going to the store to pick up some groceries. I needed some time away from the office and away from anything work related for at least 24 hours.

My day consisted of spending the next two hours in bed with Julio who got extremely energetic and left dirty paw prints all over my bed, running the hoover around my house and then going out to the store. I was wearing a powder blue tank top, some grey joggers and a pair of trainers. My hair up in a messy bun, I looked completely different to how I would usually present myself but I couldn't care less. Today was my day. On my way out, I got a call from Lorna.

"Hey Piper, how are you?" she asked when I answered the call.

"I'm fine thanks, what's up?" I climbed into my car in leant forward on the steering wheel.

"An invitation came through for you today. Would you like me to come and drop it off for you?"

"No that's okay," I said, "just open it for me now." I didn't feel like seeing anyone at all, not even Lorna.

After a moment's pause, Lorna spoke again. "It's an invitation to a conference for companies involved in the art trade on Friday at 7pm. There will also be an after party. Not strictly work-related but the dress code is still formal. I'd expect there to be quite a few potential clients there as well."

"Without a doubt. It would also help us get better known in the business."

"Absolutely. I'll let them know you'll be attending then."

"Thanks Lorna."

I hung up the phone and shoved it into my pocket, burying my face in my hands. Alex Vause would be there without question. I knew that she would jump at the opportunity to be able to talk to new clients and that this could be potentially problematic for me. Whatever happened, Alex and I were sort of friends now. Maybe that meant she would cut me a little slack and let me talk to all of the people I wanted to, but perhaps this was optimism getting ahead of me.

I tried to push those thoughts out of my mind and focus on my day off work. I'd already had to deal with one work thing and I didn't feel like letting it plague the rest of my day. While I was shopping, I put my earphones in and played some music to try and distract myself from the thoughts that occasionally crept into my head. It was all speculation about the party that was happening in just a few days' time and what could potentially take place whilst I was there. There was also the threat of Alex being there too and things getting even more heated and competitive which would probably cause even more tension between us.

A few hours later, after I'd cooked and eaten dinner and was watching some mindless TV with Julio, I received a text from Alex. My heart began to beat faster and my eyes lightened up, but I was slightly disappointed by the nature of her message.

 _I get that we've been on pretty good terms recently but you should still watch your back at this conference on Friday. We're still rivals after all ;)_

The winky face at the end got to me particularly. Despite Alex and I establishing an odd friendship dynamic, I couldn't help but notice the fact that she occasionally seemed quite flirtatious. I did find Alex Vause attractive, without a doubt, but there was something odd about how she was coming across. She went back and forth with it. One day she was cold and short, the next she was talking to me non-stop and sending winky faces. It was extremely confusing for me and I had no idea how to deal with it. Whatever happened, I knew that it was going to make things even more awkward between me and Alex and our new "friendship" would definitely be tested.

My day off had been impeccably placed but the following days brought more work and stress into my mind. The party was getting closer and the atmosphere between Alex and I had been noticeably more tense and awkward. I hated the feeling and a part of me couldn't wait to get the party out of the way so that things could go back to being somewhat normal between us, whatever "normal" was.

Finally the day of the party came and I headed straight home from work to get ready. I put on a white dress than came down to mid-calf with sleeves that just covered my shoulders. I put my hair up and lightly added some hairspray to keep everything in place. Once my makeup was applied, I called a taxi to the venue as I knew that I'd be drinking that night. The wait for the taxi was painful and I was sceptical to be going there alone but when the taxi finally arrived, I left my house as fast as a bullet.

/

Alex had arrived at the conference before Piper, much to Alex's delight. She'd had a head start at talking to some of the bigger investors and clients and was very pleased with how the evening was going so far. Occasionally she would scan the room, searching for Piper but to no avail. She knew that Piper would be there because there was no way she would have missed this opportunity to establish new business connections with so many people.

She grew more uneasy as the minutes dragged along painfully slowly and Alex felt incredibly distracted. With a drink in her hand, she roamed around the place aimlessly, waiting to notice Piper somewhere. She began getting frustrated, suspecting that the blonde had chickened out and decided not to come after all. Although this pleased Alex slightly because she'd be able to charm the investors and clients without interference from Piper, she was disappointed because she had to come to begin to enjoy her company.

She'd made good progress with the people that she'd spoken to; many of them had been impressed by Alex's figures and had shown interest in potentially working with her company. As reassuring and successful that the situation was, Alex still felt upset that Piper still hadn't shown up.

After what seemed like an eternity, she spotted the blonde. Piper was wearing a beautiful dress that showed off her figure perfectly. She was introducing herself to a few people, her face spreading into a wide smile that made Alex's heart pound. She caught her eyes, blue meeting green. They held each other's gaze for a while before Piper broke away to continue her conversation. Alex tried to play it cool but made it quite obvious as she looked in every direction except Piper's.

She felt that she should say something to Piper but every time she got an idea of what to say or began to go to talk to her, her heart pounded and her stomach twisted. After a few minutes of hesitation, Alex finally decided to make her presence known and approached Piper, her stomach feeling heavier and heavier with each step she took. "Hello Piper."

"Hi, Alex. How are you?" Piper asked politely. She realised that this was the first contact they'd had face to face since Alex had confronted her in her office.

"Rather well actually." Alex took a sip of her drink. "There are lots of interesting people here."

"I've noticed." Piper's face seemed to have gotten more sincere and serious. "Many of which I hope will be equally as interested in my company."

Alex's heart sank. She hated the dynamic between her and Piper. It was painful and felt more like a rally in a game of tennis than anything else. "Well I'm sure there will be plenty of people willing to do business with you, provided I don't speak to the same people."

Piper's brow furrowed. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Have a good evening, Piper." Alex said bluntly, before moving away to talk to someone else.

Piper was left feeling extremely put out by what Alex had said. She knew that things would have gotten tenser but she hoped it wouldn't have been that bad and that it was only temporary. Piper decided to get another drink from the bar and quickly found herself feeling tipsy. She had spoken to most of the people that she had discussed with Lorna and so she decided to make the rest of the night more enjoyable with the addition of her good friend alcohol.

Piper's drink of choice had always been a margarita no matter what time of the year it was. She just loved how they reminded her of holidays and summer. Despite it being the cold winter months, Piper never preferred another drink. The alcohol took the edge off her nerves and she began to relax but found herself looking around the room once again, keeping a close eye on Alex. She couldn't help but watch the way the brunette moved. It was elegant but strong. Alex knew exactly how to present herself in different situations and in this particular one, she radiated confidence and power.

Alex often looked over at Piper who seemed to be staring at her. She tried to focus on speaking to clients and other important people but Piper's intense gaze was extremely distracting. The way Piper was looking at her made Alex think that she was essentially undressing her with her eyes, but maybe that was just Alex's wishful thinking. Eventually to take away the pressure, Alex took another drink as well from a waiter who was carrying trays of drinks around. The alcohol definitely helped her feel more at ease but with Piper constantly staring at her, she couldn't feel completely comfortable.

After a 3rd margarita, Piper's vision was slightly blurred and she couldn't quite keep her balance. Alex was also feeling the effects of the alcohol and was now returning Piper's unbroken stare at her. Feeling the pressure of the room and disliking the atmosphere, Piper decided to go the bathroom and cool off for a bit. She struggled to walk in a straight line but she managed to stumble into the bathroom and lean against the wall, releasing a sigh.

She splashed some cold water on her face and messed around with her hair a little bit. The privacy was refreshing for her and she immediately felt a little better than she had outside. The atmosphere had become a little uncomfortable for her.

Alex had watched Piper get up and leave for the bathroom and debated whether to follow her or not. She imagined a scenario where she demanded to know why Piper had been staring at her for so long but she couldn't seem to muster the courage to go and do so. Without completely realising as the alcohol seemed to have clouded her common sense slightly, Alex began to make her way to the bathroom after Piper. To her slight surprise and delight, Piper had forgotten to lock the door behind her, allowing Alex to make her way in.

She leaned back against the door, waiting for Piper to notice her and say something. Piper seemed to be lost in thought as she assessed her appearance in the mirror until she noticed Alex in her peripheral vision and looked at her suddenly. Alex was amazed at how Piper could still look practically flawless in such a drunken state. Her hair, although slightly unkempt, still look like flocks of pure sunshine.

"What are you doing in here?" Piper slurred in surprise. Her eyes were wide as if Alex had just done something unthinkable.

"You didn't lock the door." Alex chuckled. Her emerald eyes were hooded, demonstrating the high amount of alcohol that was raging through her system.

"Whatever." Piper sighed, moving away from the mirror and leaning against the wall opposite Alex.

"You're being extremely dismissive of me when we speak in person, but not so much when I see you staring at me from the bar or we talk on the phone. When are you going to make your mind up?" Alex stated.

Piper didn't reply to this. She was getting sick of Alex playing games with her but she also knew that Alex had a point. She couldn't make her mind up about Alex because she was extremely confused about the situation herself. Part of her really wanted to be friends with Alex but another part of her was constantly reminding her to keep her distance before things got too far.

"Are you going to say anything?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"I don't know what to say."

"Just tell me what you're thinking."

Piper didn't say anything. She didn't want Alex to know what she was thinking. She didn't want Alex to know that she was so confused and torn about what to do.

"Fuck this." Alex turned to leave again, but Piper grabbed her wrist.

"Wait, don't leave yet."

"What? Why? Have you decided you want to talk to me now? These mixed messages are really messing with my head you know." Alex spat. She didn't know why she felt so angry but it was burning a hole inside her.

Alex turned back around to face Piper when she didn't get an answer. Piper released her arm and a softer expression spread over her face.

"I do want to talk to you, it's just difficult with all of this going on." Piper didn't look at Alex while she said this, "Plus you're the one who cut me off earlier."

Piper was right. Alex had been short with her this evening. "You confuse me. I never know what you want."

"I know. I don't think I do either." There was a minute of silence between them before Piper said, "Tell me what you're thinking?"

Alex wondered how to answer this. _Well, I'm meant to hate you with every bone in my body but I can't stop thinking about kissing you,_ she thought.

 _Maybe a demonstration is better._

Alex took a moment to take a deep breath, locked the door and pushed Piper up against the wall. Neither of them had really expected this to happen, but Alex kissed Piper. It was deep and passionate and full of the extreme and crazy emotions that they had bottled up until this very moment. Alex held Piper's hands up either side of her before Piper broke away from Alex's grip to put her hands on Alex's back.

The kiss went on for a while, neither of them really realising what was actually happening. Piper opened her mouth to invite Alex's tongue in which she happily provided. Alex began to tease the hem of Piper's dress which made her heart flutter. Fireworks seemed to go off around them as they completely lost track of time. Eventually, Alex's hands made their way up Piper's dress, tracing along her stomach and further up towards her bra.

Piper pushed off Alex's jacket and let it fall to the floor as Alex began kissing her neck. Piper leaned her head to the side to expose more of her neck to Alex and began unbuttoning her shirt. She felt Alex smile and exhale against her skin, making Piper even more eager to get her clothes off. Her hands roamed further around the brunette's waist up and down her back. Their lips met again as Alex pushed her hand under Piper's bra and came into contact with Piper's breasts. She gasped and put her head back, overcome by the extreme wave of pleasure that swept over her. Alex was pleased with this reaction and felt more encouraged, beginning to massage her boobs.

Alex could feel her emotions getting out of control and she pushed her thigh in between Piper's legs. Piper gasped again but more intensely this time as she was both shocked and relieved by the contact. She began to grind against Alex's thigh, feeling the pressure and tension building up in her lower abdomen.

Overcome by the sensation that was consuming her entire body, Piper reached her hand forward and slipped it down the front of Alex's trousers, rubbing her through her underwear. She could feel how wet Alex was already and was immediately met with an intense reaction from her and she began pressing her thigh harder against Piper's centre. Piper was getting more worked up and couldn't resist pulling her hand back slightly and then returning, this time going into her underwear and coming into direct contact with her clit.

"Piper…" she moaned before leaning in to kiss her again.

Desperate for more contact, Piper traced her fingers around Alex's opening, eventually sliding a finger into her. Alex gripped Piper more tightly, one hand holding the arm that was fucking her and the other on Piper's shoulder. She could feel herself getting close to climax as Piper added another finger and began increasing the speed of her movements. Alex's moans started getting more and more intense and Piper began to worry that someone might hear them but that wasn't enough to persuade her to stop.

Alex's stomach began to clench as she felt herself beginning to release. Her whole body stiffened and relaxed repeatedly as she came, her breath hitching and exemplifying her feeling of complete satisfaction. Piper had taken control which Alex hadn't expected but was willing to allow for now. It was the release that Alex had needed and it was made all the more sweet since Piper had brought it out of her. It took her some moments to recover in which she gave Piper a few gentle kisses. The softness didn't last, however, as Alex pulled down the toilet seat, sat Piper down and removed her underwear.

Kissing her way down Piper's thighs, Alex took far too much pleasure out of teasing Piper. Occasionally she would look up and be pleased to see the frustration and need on her face, eventually getting dangerously close to Piper's shaven pussy before pulling away again.

"Alex please," Piper begged.

Alex grinned again and ran her tongue up and down Piper, making the blonde shake and moan in pleasure. She was soaking, unable to hide how much fucking Alex had turned her on. The sensation of Alex's tongue was exactly how she'd wanted it to be. It caressed her in all the right places and as she felt Alex pull her clit into her mouth. Piper shivered and grabbed the back of her head, taking a fistful of Alex's dark hair. The deep and powerful sensation of climax began to fill Piper's stomach and hips, making her hips buck against Alex. Piper's pleasure was too intense for her to keep quiet as she got louder and louder, feeling herself beginning to tip over the edge. Finally, Piper froze for a moment and then released, her moans long and breathy. She was completely blown away by the incredible feeling that Alex had given her and she pulled her head back, eyes fixed shut. After Alex had finished cleaning up the mess that she had created, she pulled away and looked up at Piper.

Piper was exhausted and still had her eyes shut. Alex's heart began to pound faster and faster as she realised what had just happened. Blind panic rushing over her, she began buttoning up her shirt and grabbed her jacket off the floor. As Alex made her way over to the door, Piper realised what was happening and became overcome with rage.

"Alex, where the fuck are you going?" She was cut off by Alex shooting her a look of apology before unlocking the door, opening it and closing it behind her.

Piper's eyes began welling up with tears and they stung. She frantically put her underwear back on, still in shock at how Alex had treated her. Wiping her eyes and straightening her dress, she barged out of the bathroom and started walking after Alex.

Alex charged through the venue, ignoring anyone who tried to talk to her. As soon as she got outside, she pulled out her phone and called a taxi. She couldn't wait to get home and collapse into bed; she was exhausted. Part of her felt like calling Nicky but she decided against this and put her phone back in her pocket. The taxi arrived and she jumped into it and barked her address at the driver, paranoid that Piper would see her and cause her to feel even more regret.

Meanwhile, Piper had tried to chase after Alex but was stopped by various people trying to start conversations with her. She attempted to hide her frustration but eventually she realised that by the time she would be able to fight her way outside, Alex would have probably left already. She felt used, like Alex had taken advantage of her. She had at least expected a conversation after what had happened between them. Alex had seemed extremely eager to leave which made Piper's stomach drop. Had she been that bad? Was Alex repulsed by her? What was she supposed to do? She was so insulted and upset that she ignored everyone else who tried to talk to her and made her way outside only to find what she had feared; Alex was gone.

In the taxi, Alex leant her head against the window and let out a sigh. She did feel bad for leaving Piper the way she did but she couldn't stand to be there anymore. Part of her regretted what they did but another part of her didn't. She'd wanted Piper pretty much from the moment she'd seen her. There was a constant moral dilemma going on in her head that she couldn't seem to waver. Alex couldn't seem to come to a definite answer to her questions and her hesitation to say something to Piper didn't help.

Piper also called a taxi to take her home, still feeling miserable and somewhat disgraced by what had happened. She refused to pursue Alex and attempt to contact her until she had cleared her head and sorted out her thoughts. What had happened may have been a mistake but that didn't stop Piper from knowing that she had enjoyed it. Eventually the taxi brought her home.

"You alright, miss?" the driver asked. His eyes were full of concern.

"Yes I'm fine." Piper lied, "Thank you."

She paid him the fare and added a tip. The driver bid her a good night and drove off, leaving Piper in the darkness of her driveway.

Alex stood outside her house, breathing in the cold evening air.

They both just needed to sleep away what had happened that night and forget it had taken place, as impossible as that was.


	5. Just call her

**A/N: Sorry for the long delay! Things have been super busy since the new year has started but there shouldn't be such a long delay between now and the next one. Happy reading :)**

I stood outside my house, the crisp air flushing my cheeks. The taxi driver had driven off leaving me in complete darkness as I debated and mulled over what had happened. As the events of the night came rushing back to me, I felt the all too familiar sting begin to build up in my eyes. I blinked, hoping that there was less water pooling on my bottom eyelid than I feared but I was wrong. The pools became rivers that flowed down my icy cheeks and came to a brief rest at the edge of my jawline before dripping onto my collar. I'd fucked up big time.

If this was how I reacted to what happened then I was terrified of how Piper would be feeling. After all, I'd left her behind without explanation and was probably the scum of the earth to her. This thought hit a nerve and I twitched. Piper's opinion of me had become important and I knew there was no way she thought any good of me.

The night was cold and I began to shiver, the unforgiving temperature forcing its way into my jacket and around my arms and torso. I needed to go inside, but I didn't want to be alone. I chuckled at that thought. How ironic that I didn't want to be alone just after I had abandoned Piper in that bathroom. _That bathroom…_

Pulling out my phone, I knew exactly who I was about to call. It was the middle of the night and Nicky would probably be asleep and get annoyed at me calling so late about a personal matter but she was my best friend and I needed her right now. Wiping away the last dregs of the tears that had poured down my face, I tapped the contacts icon and scrolled down to the 'N' section. I shut my eyes and held the phone to my ear, feeling more stinging in my closed lids.

"Alex, you okay?" I heard Nicky ask. Her voice gave me all the evidence I needed to conclude that she'd been asleep, but she didn't seem annoyed. Perhaps she felt more concerned as I never usually called her at this time of night unless something bad had happened that I couldn't handle alone and there was very little that I would actually ask for help with.

"Can I come over?" I asked quickly. I would have liked to explain what happened on the phone but I couldn't talk about it and bring all the memories back while I stood alone in the freezing, shadowed driveway. There was still too much alcohol in my system for me to drive but I'd happily catch another taxi if it got me to Nicky's apartment.

"It's 1am…" Nicky audibly frowned.

"Please." I begged. I wasn't used to this; asking someone for help. I'd never in my life begged anyone for anything but my situation was dire. For once, I just couldn't cope with being alone.

There was a brief moment where Nicky considered my request and eventually gave me permission to go and see her for a while and discuss what happened that evening at the party. It pained me slightly to even get off the phone with her at this point but I needed to in order to call another cab.

I waited for the taxi sitting in my driveway, the darkness and silence haunting me. It left me alone with my thoughts which was exactly what I didn't want at this point because all of the things that were circling around in my head right now were absolute torture. Everything that I thought about eventually led me back to thinking about Piper and I hated it. I hated it so much.

Every few minutes, a particularly cold breeze would brush past me and make me shiver. The wait for the taxi felt like hours but after 10 minutes passed in reality, I spotted headlights pulling up to the drive and coming to a stop. I wasted no time in throwing myself into the back seat and telling the driver Nicky's address. The drive to Nicky's was equally as painful as the wait for the taxi. Thankfully it was warmer in the car, however it was still dark and I still felt incredibly lonely. This kind of vulnerability was not something I was used to, or rather it was not something I was used to allowing myself to feel. My usual routine was burying what I considered 'unnecessary' emotions underneath my work and responsibilities, however the situation with Piper had made my feelings too intense to ignore. Nicky was the only person who I would ever consider sharing these kind of thoughts with, hence my desperation to see her.

"Could you just pull over here please?" I asked the driver, spotting Nicky's apartment block out of the window.

The car came to a halt just off the kerb.

Opening the door, I was met by another rush of cold air. I walked quickly over to the front of the building and pushed the button next to number 49, receiving a buzzing sound in response. A few moments passed before I heard Nicky's fatigued voice mutter, "Come on up, boss."

I pulled the door opened and climbed the various flights of stairs before being met by Nicky, messy haired as usual with a grey hoodie pulled over her head, already holding the door open for me.

"Oh Jesus, you look awful." She chuckled.

"Thanks, you don't look too good yourself." I smiled a little, being happily reminded that Nicky could make me feel better without any real effort.

"And who's fault might that be?" she flipped me off while saying this.

I sat down on Nicky's couch and rubbed my eyes, not caring at all about the effects this would have on my eye makeup which was probably fucked up anyway. Nicky sat next to me, her once humourous expression now replaced by one with concern. She knew something was going on and it wasn't just because she knew me so well; it was obvious to anyone that something crap had happened this evening.

"What's up then Vause?" she asked.

I thought about where to begin, since my intoxication had blurred many of the night's events. Eventually piecing everything together and explaining everything to Nicky, who listened to me talk with at first a slightly suggestive but then disappointed expression. I could tell by the end of my story that Nicky was desperate to speak her mind on what happened but held her tongue for the sake of my feelings – if she raised her voice at me in this moment I'd probably break down.

"Alex you need to call her." Nicky said, letting out a sigh.

I shook my head and felt the tears starting to build up in my eyes again. "I can't."

"Yes you fucking can. Look, I love you. You know that. But I can't watch you do this to someone you clearly have some underlying feelings for."

"She won't want to talk to me anyway." I stared at the floor, twiddling my thumbs.

"You have to at least try. You can't treat people like that. It's one thing to have a one night stand with someone, it's another thing to fuck them and leave them in a bathroom."

I knew she was right; what I'd done to Piper was horrific. Unforgiveable, perhaps. I needed to put my guilt and pride aside and just fucking own up and take responsibility. The back of my head screamed at me to just leave it, to just ignore it. Trying to sort this out with Piper would take a whole lot of willpower and to break past my stone wall that I used to imprison all my emotions.

"In the morning of course. Right now," she leaned forward and took a sniff of my hair, "you need a shower and some sleep."

I nodded slowly, spaced out and unable to form a verbal response. After a brief pause, I felt Nicky get up and stroke my shoulder as she headed towards the bathroom. "I'm going to put the water on for you okay?" She left before I could say anything, indicating that she didn't expect a reply from me.

Once again I was alone.

Although it was definitely more comforting in Nicky's living room rather than in my driveway or even my own living room. There was something warm and welcoming about her apartment – maybe it was the faint smell of cigarettes or simply the fact that it was Nicky's – that just made me feel at ease. I just sat and let my mind wander until Nicky returned and stood in front of me.

"Come on boss, let's get you decent."

She helped me up and into the bathroom, closing the door behind me. The water had already made the bathroom mirror steam up and had warmed the room. I stripped down and stepped into the stream, instantly met with comfort. The water was the perfect temperature and soothed me, calming my senses and thoughts. Nicky knew exactly how to make me feel better even when I didn't tell her what I needed. She'd always been there for me despite my being her superior.

Once I was done in the shower, Nicky had laid out some pyjamas for me to get into and left a glass of water next to the couch. I smiled to myself for the first genuine time that evening.

The next morning I woke up and was immediately met with the sensation of guilt and regret once again. I felt slightly nauseous and was pleased to find the water next to me. Nicky was already awake and I could hear her shuffling around in the kitchen.

She came back into the living room with a coffee and smiled down at me. "How are you feeling?" she asked.

I sat up and downed the rest of my water. "Physically not too bad. Mentally and emotionally is a whole different question."

Nicky sat down with me and put her hand on my leg. "You need to call her."

I sighed. I knew I needed to but fuck, I was dreading it. I couldn't think of anything more terrifying and humiliating than calling Piper and hearing her probably tell me to fuck off. Regardless, I put aside my fear of rejection and failure and picked up my phone. After selecting her name, I held the phone up to my ear and listening to the dial tone, half of me praying that she wouldn't pick up and the other half screaming to hear her voice again. To both my relief and disappointment, it went to voicemail.

"No answer?" Nicky asked.

I shook my head slowly, feeling a growing urge to try calling again. I accepted this urge and tapped the green call icon again. It went to voicemail again, again and again. After my fifth try, Nicky told me to stop.

"Maybe she's busy." She tried to console me. I looked at her with a sarcastic expression. We both knew that she just didn't want to talk to me and she was ignoring my calls. My desire to talk to Piper was irresistible and I got up and went into Nicky's room.

"What are you doing?" she asked, following me into the room.

"I'm going to her office." I started looking through Nicky's wardrobe, pulling out an outfit and throwing it onto her bed.

"Do you really think that's a good idea _the day_ after what happened?"

I couldn't pay attention to reason right now – Piper needed to hear what I had to say.

"I don't care. Thanks for letting me stay again babe." I kissed her on the cheek and went into her bathroom, washing my face quickly and putting on the fresh clothes. My reflection was an absolute fucking mess but by this point I didn't care. I needed to go and see her.

Nicky tried to appeal to me to think about this more carefully but I didn't listen and headed out of the apartment. Calling another taxi to get back to my house and get my car, I was relieved by the feeling of fresh air filling my lungs. I felt more refreshed and was slightly disappointed when the taxi pulled up and I had to get in. I told the driver my address and relaxed back in the seat, allowing myself to shut my eyes and try to centre myself again. I'd acted impulsively at Nicky's but I knew I still wanted to see Piper. I just needed to take a deep breath and think about what I wanted to say.

I'd just be honest. I'd tell her exactly how I felt and the truth about what had happened in my mind.

Eventually the driver pulled up in front of my house and wished me a good day. I immediately got into my car and made my way over to Piper's building. I didn't want to waste any time in getting over there and talking to her. I paid no attention to the thought of Piper not wanting to talk to me or not even letting me in to her office.

My heart was practically bursting out of my chest as I pulled in to the parking lot and stepped out of car. I rushed into the building because I knew if I even doubted it for a second, I'd panic and turn right back around.

A receptionist smiled at me as I walked in and asked, "Can I help you, miss?"

Clearly she didn't recognise me from last time.

"I'm here to see Piper Chapman." I stated, trying to sound confident.

"Your name, please?"

"Alex Vause."

The receptionist looked up at me again, obviously recognising my name. It didn't stop her from picking up her phone and saying, "Miss Chapman? Alex Vause is here to see you."

Piper had obviously hesitated to reply, as the receptionist asked if Piper could hear her. Putting the phone down, she said, "Go on up, Miss Vause."

I walked into the elevator and endured the long ride up. My foot tapped nervously and my stomach twisted every time I thought about our approaching conversation. The doors opened and I strode briskly past Piper's other employees, all of whom looked up at me either shocked or with resentment on their faces. They muttered to each other about me but I ignored them completely. My eyes were fixed on the door at the end of the hall. Her name was on the door in bold capitals. I knocked on the door and waited for Piper to either tell me to come in or to open the door herself. When she didn't answer I knocked again. Eventually, I tried the door and found it was open. I pushed it forward and found Piper had her back to me. She was filing papers and placed a pile down next to her before stopping, pausing, and then turning her head very slightly towards the door.

"What the fuck do you want?" she hissed, not even looking at me.

I swallowed hard, my mouth bone dry. I stepped forward into the office and shut the door behind me. I hadn't thought this far. "I want to explain."

"I don't want to her your excuses Alex. You left me in there. You made me feel humiliated. What could you possibly have to say to 'explain' this?"

"Look there's some messed up shit going on with me right now and I'm sorry that I've taken it out on you too-"

"Taken it out on me?" she laughed, "You've done much more than that. Jesus, I can't even fucking look at you right now."

"Piper, please. Just give me a chance to apologise." I begged.

She looked up at me for a second, her eyes bursting with rage and sadness. "I don't want your apology. I don't want anything from you or to do with you. I don't have time for this bullshit. Get the fuck out."

She turned away again, pretending I wasn't there. Feeling my chest tightening once again, I turned and walked briskly out of her office, ignoring the looks I got from her employees. The long elevator ride felt like agony; minutes felt like fucking years. My foot tapped impatiently as I waited for the familiar 'ding' of the lift and rushed out into the parking lot. My breathing was speeding up and my eyes were watering. Everything was getting too much yet again.

I wasn't going home. I was going straight back to Nicky's to tell her what had just happened. She was the best person for me to talk to since she could give me advice from an external perspective. I was freaking the fuck out and I couldn't think straight. As soon as I got to the front door of Nicky's apartment, I held the buzzer down and waited for her reply.

"Hello?"

"Nicky, let me in. Please. It's all gone to fucking shit."

"Okay come up, I'm here."

The door unlocked. I pulled it open with force and practically ran up the stairs. Nicky was waiting with the door open but I didn't go in. I threw my arms around her and started sobbing. A small amount of relief came from the sensation of her arms around me too but I continued to cry, burying my face in her shoulder.

"Come on Alex, calm down." She whispered to me, "Come inside and tell me what happened."

She basically carried me inside and got me a glass of water. After I stopped crying and finished the water, Nicky asked me to explain everything to her. I told her about the receptionist recognising me, the employees staring at me and the fiery conversation we'd had in her office.

"Alex you need to chill the fuck out and think about this for a second." She said, her hand resting on my shoulder.

"What the fuck is there to think about? She fucking hates me, Nicky. She hates me and it's all my fucking fault again." I hissed, tears streaming down my face again.

"Pull yourself together and think. It's obvious you like this girl. You haven't been this fucking crazy over someone in the four fucking years I've known you."

Her words sent me straight into denial. "Bullshit. I don't fucking like her. I don't want to be with her. She's my fucking enemy and it was a mistake to even hook up with her in the first place."

Nicky looked at me with an expression of both concern and humour. She saw right through me.

Eventually I sighed. "Okay, you're right. I just don't know how to fucking deal with this."

"Ask her out." Nicky shrugged.

I looked at her with shock. "Are you fucking kidding me? Ask her out? Nicky, the girl fucking _loathes_ me."

"I doubt it. She's probably feeling the exact same way you are to be honest."

"That's crazy."

"Is it? She let you up into her office, she wouldn't have if she hadn't wanted to see you."

"I'm going to have to call her again aren't I?" I sighed.

"Call and if she doesn't pick up, leave a voicemail saying what you need to say. She won't be able to resist listening to it."

I picked up my phone again and this time, didn't hesitate before calling. I'd exhausted my anxious responses for that day. It went straight to voicemail, and I did as Nicky suggested. I said everything I needed to say, apologising and suggesting we go for coffee together to let me explain. The rest was up to her.

"I'm proud of you, boss." Nicky said, pulling me into another hug. I closed my eyes, internally praying that Piper would find some way to forgive me.

/

I had listened to her voicemail around 7 times. Rage still burned inside me but I'd decided to meet Polly in the park later in the afternoon to talk about all the shit that had happened. I'd had her listen to the voicemail as well so she could come to her own conclusion about it.

"Polly I don't know what to do. Part of me wants to hear her out but another part of me just wants to fucking kill her."

"Maybe you should hear her out _before_ you start killing. At least that way you may be able to justify it better."

I laughed at this and felt extremely appreciative of her. Despite our ups and downs, she had always looked out for me.

"It's up to you but if it was me, I'd at least listen to what she has to say for herself. You never know, she could have some real legitimate reason for doing it." Polly said.

"A legitimate reason to fuck me over?" I snorted.

"Well, when you put it that way…" she poked my arm, "You're not wrong but I really would suggest listening to her. At least then even if you want to cut her off completely, you can say you heard her out first."

She was right. I didn't particularly want to see her again but I wanted some insight into what she'd been thinking. Alex obviously had a lot of issues that were messing her around and although that was no excuse, it did make me wonder whether I should have given her the benefit of the doubt.

We enjoyed the afternoon together before Polly got a call from one of her employees at her shop and had to rush off for some emergency. I decided to head home and psych myself up to call Alex back. The drive home was nerve-racking and long but eventually pulled into my driveway and parked my car.

I stared at my phone for a good 5 minutes before finally forcing myself to press the call button. It didn't take long for her to pick up.

Before she could greet me I said. "You have one minute. Start talking."

It seemed she didn't need much more encouragement than this, since she immediately started, "I'm a fuck-up. A really bad one, in fact. What I did to you that night was unforgivable and I want to say that it's not like me but it is. The worst part is that I've never felt so fucking guilty after doing it. What I really want is for you to let me take you for some coffee and to talk this out. No alcohol since that seems to provoke bad behaviour for us. Clear the air. What do you say?"

There was a long pause while I thought about both her explanation and Polly's advice and with each passing moment, I felt my heartbeat getting faster and faster.

"Well, alright then." I said finally, "I'll meet you at 5pm tomorrow."

"Thank you, Piper."

I hung up, debating whether I'd made the right decision. I decided that I had, since I really did want to listen to her point of view. When it came to Alex, I felt oddly forgiving.

The next day was insignificant, but that may have just been me feeling passive about it because I was so focused on the meeting I would have with Alex that day. Polly texted me asking me to let her know how everything went, which reassured me. On my way to the coffee shop, I felt calm and nervous as hell at the same time. I knew Alex was extremely guilty about the whole thing and understood what she did was wrong, but I was also hesitant about seeing her again. I was always nervous to see Alex.

When I got there, I could see her sitting in the coffee shop already, although she hadn't seemed to order a drink yet. _Waiting for me?_ I wondered. I stepped inside and walked over to the table, my stomach twisting and my heart racing.

"Hi." She smiled. She seemed happy to see me but I was unsure whether I could say the same.

"Hi." I said back to her, taking a seat opposite.

"I'm glad you came." She said, look at me with a sincere expression.

I wasn't sure how to reply to this, but I smiled and looked down at the table. Alex stood up and asked me what I wanted, insisting that she pay since she'd invited me out. I accepted her offer and waited for her to return. Despite finding that Alex was being polite and open enough, I still felt extremely nervous and apprehensive around her. It was hard to trust her after what had happened that night.

After a few minutes, Alex returned to our table with two cappuccinos. She placed mine in front of me before sitting down with her own and taking a deep breath and looking back up at me. "I suppose we should talk about the elephant in the room."

I gestured for her to start talking and took a sip of my drink.

"I know what I did to you was unforgivable and pretty disgusting of me but the only way I can think to explain it would be that I panicked. I freaked out and my first instinct was to run away. Opening up to people is not my forte as we've obviously found, but I do realise how selfish and inconsiderate it was of me. I'm really confused about my feelings right now and what exactly to do with them, but really I just wanted you to at least hear me out and let me apologise to you. I really am sorry Piper." She explained, her eyes staying fixed on me.

I listened to her carefully and took it all in. My brain went back and forth over what she said and despite not really being okay with what Alex did and how she treated me, I could understand where she was coming from. I'd dealt with similar sorts of issues when it came to opening up to people about my emotions. Alex's eyes were extremely apologetic and I could see the genuine regret and guilt in them and on her face. There was something about the way she'd spoke and the way she was looking at me that told me she was telling the truth. I wanted to believe her and I did.

"I guess I can understand how you're feeling but," I paused for a moment, thinking about the best way to continue, "don't ever do shit like that again. It's humiliating and embarrassing to go running after someone only to find they've fucked off completely. Honestly, I felt so used, Alex."

"I know. I can't imagine how you must have felt." Alex looked down again, obviously thinking back to the night and regretting her actions. There was very little I could think to say and I questioned whether to put my hand on her arm but I decided against it.

"I'm still not 100% okay with what happened but I'm grateful that you've owned up to it and taken the time to explain." I smiled weakly.

I wanted to try and see things from her point of view, despite being hurt so much by how she had treated me.

"Thank you for agreeing to meet me and hearing me out." She chuckled.

We sat in silence for a while, neither of us really knowing what to say. It felt awkward at first but eventually we seemed to get more comfortable, occasionally exchanging a smile. Alex's left hand was resting on the table and she occasionally drummed her fingers on it. I felt a strange urge to touch her hand but I resisted it, imaging various reactions that she might have to that action. They included outbursts like "what the hell are you doing?" which I wouldn't have blamed her for since I would have been thinking the exact same thing to myself inside my head.

"I want to give you time to think about everything that's happened." She said to me, "You've listened to what I have to say so it's up to you whether you want to forgive me or not but either way, I'm going to respect your decision."

I looked up at her and began focusing on different parts of her face. There were huge bags under her eyes and she looked exhausted. Her eyes were still brilliantly green but reflected just how tired she really looked. I appreciated her concern for me.

"Thank you. I honestly really do appreciate you taking the time to talk to me about it."

We hugged before leaving, and I went home feeling much better and much calmer about the situation. The memory of what happened still stung but I was glad we'd talked about it properly. I didn't regret the anger I'd showed her earlier because that was how I had felt at that point.

That evening, after having a quiet night in with Julio snoring on my lap, I received a text from Alex, telling me she'd enjoyed seeing me that day. I couldn't help but smile to myself and reply that I'd enjoyed myself too, and I was looking forward to seeing her again. We talked late into the night until I fell asleep, having the best night's sleep I'd had in a long time.

 **We have an idea of how things are going to progress but we're open to any suggestions you might have. Thanks for reading and favs, follows and reviews are always appreciated x**


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